ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on housing and public works ministry, goes round the REHAB Fair in Chittagong after inaugurating it yesterday. Tanveerul Haque Probal, president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB), is also seen.Photo: STAR

A three-day fair began here yesterday with a call for easing housing crisis in the country.
The 'REHAB Fair, Chittagong 2010,' organised by the Chittagong chapter of the housing sector trade body, is taking place for the fourth time in the port city.
ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on housing and public works ministry, inaugurated the fair at the Chittagong Club tennis ground in the morning.
Chowdhury suggested allowing duty-free import of construction materials and machineries to help rapid expansion of the housing industry.
He said a law to facilitate real estate development and housing activities would be enacted soon.
“The Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh is contributing a lot, as the government can develop only 12,000-14,000 houses against the demand for 1.5 lakh houses annually," said the parliamentary body chief.
He urged the developers to be cautious against any hill cutting or anything that endangers environment of the port city.
Around 47 out of 637 REHAB members are engaged in housing in Chittagong.
Chaired by Tanveerul Haque Probal, REHAB's president, the opening ceremony was also addressed by Nasrul Hamid, a member of the parliamentary committee, Major (rtd) Jamshed Hasan, the association's Chittagong chapter chief, and Murad Iqbal Chowdhury, chairman of the fair organising committee.
A total of 94 developers and building material suppliers and three financial institutions are participating in the fair.
It will remain open from 10 am to 8 pm today and tomorrow. The single entry fee has been fixed at Tk 50, while Tk 100 is for season entry.