RAJUK Approvals and Building Plans: What Landlords Should Know

If you own, build, buy or rent out a building in Dhaka, you will hear the word RAJUK constantly. "Is the plan RAJUK approved?" "How many floors did RAJUK allow?" "Does it have an occupancy certificate?" For many landlords these questions only become urgent when something goes wrong: a buyer's bank refuses a loan, a corporate tenant asks for documents, a mobile court drive targets unauthorised floors, or a fire incident brings inspections to the neighbourhood. Understanding RAJUK approvals and building plans is part of being a responsible landlord in the capital.

This article gives a general overview of what landlords should know: what RAJUK does, the main stages of approval, what an approved plan actually permits, common deviations and why they matter, how approvals affect renting and selling, and the documents to keep. Outside Dhaka, similar roles are played by other development authorities and local bodies, and the principles are much the same.

Disclaimer: This is general information only, not legal, architectural or engineering advice. Rules, procedures, fees and timelines change, and they differ by location and building type. Always confirm the current requirements with RAJUK (or your local development authority), a registered architect or engineer, and a property lawyer.

What Is RAJUK and What Does It Do?

RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, the Capital Development Authority) is the government body responsible for planning and development control in the Dhaka metropolitan area under its jurisdiction. Among other things, it:

• Prepares and applies area plans that set out how land in different zones may be used, such as the Detailed Area Plan (DAP).
• Reviews and approves land use and building construction applications.
• Sets and enforces development controls such as permitted height, floor area, setbacks and parking requirements, under the applicable building construction rules and the national building code.
• Monitors construction and can take action against unauthorised or deviating buildings.
• Develops its own planned residential projects and plots in some areas.

Other cities have their own authorities, such as CDA in Chattogram, KDA in Khulna and RDA in Rajshahi, while in many towns the pourashava or city corporation handles building permissions. If your property is outside RAJUK's area, find out which body has jurisdiction before assuming anything.

The Main Stages of Building Approval (General Overview)

The exact steps and names can change as rules and online systems are updated, but broadly the life cycle of a building's approvals in Dhaka looks like this:

Large or special buildings may need additional clearances, for example relating to fire safety, environment, traffic or civil aviation height restrictions. RAJUK has moved many applications to online systems; its official website is the best starting point for current procedures.

What an Approved Plan Actually Permits

An approved plan is not just a stamp. It is a detailed specification. Among the things it typically fixes are:

• Number of storeys and height: how many floors may be built.
• Floor area: the total built area allowed, often controlled by a floor area ratio (FAR) linked to plot size and road width.
• Ground coverage and setbacks: how much of the plot the building may cover and how much open space must be left on each side.
• Use of each floor: for example, parking on the ground floor and residential flats above.
• Parking provision: number of parking spaces required.
• Structural design: designed by qualified professionals for the approved number of floors and loads.
• Fire safety features: staircases, exits and other provisions appropriate to the building.

When you rent out your building, what matters is not just that a plan was approved at some point, but that the building as it stands today, and the way it is used, matches that approval.

Common Deviations and Why They Matter

Deviation from the approved plan is widespread in Dhaka, often done gradually and with good intentions such as "just one more floor for the family". But each deviation can create safety and legal problems.

Extra floors

Adding floors beyond the approval increases the load on columns and foundations that were designed for fewer storeys. It may also exceed permitted height and floor area. Unauthorised floors have been targets of enforcement drives.

Converting parking to shops or flats

Ground-floor parking converted into shops, a mini-market or extra flats is one of the most common deviations. It pushes cars onto the street and can breach both the approval and parking requirements.

Change of use

Renting residential floors to offices, schools, clinics, restaurants or small factories can conflict with the approved land use and building use, and often with fire safety requirements for that use.

Encroaching on setbacks

Extending the building into required open spaces, or enclosing balconies and verandahs to create extra rooms, reduces light, ventilation and fire access.

Rooftop structures

Rooftop rooms, restaurants, heavy tanks or gardens can add unapproved load and block roof escape routes.

Think twice: The extra rent from an unauthorised floor or converted parking area may look attractive, but it can bring enforcement action, trouble when selling or refinancing, disputes with tenants and neighbours, and, most seriously, safety risks for the people living inside.

How Approvals Affect Renting Out Your Property

RAJUK approvals are mostly discussed in the context of construction, but they have direct consequences for landlords:

• Tenant due diligence: corporate tenants, embassies, international organisations and banks increasingly ask for the approved plan and, where available, the occupancy certificate before signing a lease.
• Commercial use: if you rent space for a shop, office, restaurant or clinic, the tenant may need a trade licence and other permits, and authorities may look at whether the building's use permits that business.
• Fire safety and inspections: after major fire incidents, authorities have inspected buildings for approvals and safety provisions. Deviating buildings face greater risk.
• Utilities: utility connections and load increases may involve building documents.
• Insurance: insurers may ask about approvals and safety.
• Tenant confidence: being able to show the approved plan builds trust and supports your asking rent.

For the broader safety picture, see our guide on building safety compliance for landlords, and for all your duties as an owner, our guide to landlord responsibilities in Bangladesh.

Buying a Flat or Building to Rent Out: What to Check

If you are buying property to rent, especially from a developer, check approvals before paying. Key documents and checks include:

1. The approved plan and permission letter, and whether the number of floors built matches.
2. Land ownership documents, mutation and khatian, and land development tax receipts.
3. For developer projects, the joint venture agreement between landowner and developer, and your flat's allocation.
4. Whether an occupancy certificate has been issued or applied for.
5. Whether the specific flat you are buying falls within the approved floors and approved area.
6. Any pending cases, notices or enforcement actions against the building.

A property lawyer and an independent architect or engineer can review these documents for you. Our guide on buying an apartment for rent covers the wider checklist.

Worked Example: Understanding Floor Area Limits

Floor area ratio (FAR) is one way permitted floor area is controlled. The actual FAR for any plot depends on the area plan, plot size, road width and rules in force, so the numbers below are purely illustrative to show how the concept works.

For example (illustrative): a plot measures 5 katha. Taking 1 katha as 720 sq ft, the plot area is 5 × 720 = 3,600 sq ft. Suppose the applicable rules allowed a FAR of 3.5 for this plot. Maximum permitted total floor area = 3,600 × 3.5 = 12,600 sq ft.

If the approved design uses a typical floor of 2,100 sq ft, the number of such floors = 12,600 ÷ 2,100 = 6 floors (not counting any areas excluded from the calculation under the rules, such as certain parking areas). If the owner later adds a seventh floor of 2,100 sq ft, total floor area becomes 12,600 + 2,100 = 14,700 sq ft, which is 2,100 sq ft (about 17%) beyond the permitted area in this example: 2,100 ÷ 12,600 ≈ 0.167.

The practical lesson: the approved plan fixes a maximum, and anything built beyond it is a deviation, regardless of how structurally sound it looks. Always ask your architect to explain the actual limits for your plot.

Documents Every Landlord Should Keep

Working With Architects, Engineers and Lawyers

Approvals are technical and legal at the same time, so most landlords need a small team of professionals rather than trying to handle everything alone.

Architect

A registered architect prepares the architectural drawings, checks them against the applicable rules for your plot (use, height, floor area, setbacks and parking) and usually handles the application. Ask to see their registration with the relevant professional body and examples of approved projects.

Structural engineer

The structural engineer designs the building to carry its loads safely, including earthquake loads, and should be consulted before any extension, rooftop structure or major renovation. For older buildings, a structural assessment can tell you whether the building is safe for its current use.

Property lawyer

A lawyer checks land title, mutation, any disputes, developer agreements and the legal consequences of deviations. When buying or entering a long commercial lease, legal review is worth far more than it costs.

Good practice: Keep every professional's report, drawing and letter in your building file, with the date and name of the person who prepared it. Years later, when you sell, refinance or renovate, this history saves time and money.

If Your Building Already Has Deviations

Many owners inherit buildings or bought flats in buildings that do not fully match their approvals. There is no one-size answer, but sensible steps include:

• Get an architect to compare the building with the approved plan and list deviations.
• Have a structural engineer assess safety, especially for extra floors and rooftop structures.
• Consult a property lawyer about the legal position and any available regularisation process under current rules.
• Prioritise safety fixes immediately: exits, fire protection, structural issues.
• Avoid making further deviations, and be honest with tenants and buyers about the building's status.

Common Mistakes Landlords Make

• Assuming "approved" means everything is fine, without checking whether the building matches the approval.
• Relying on a developer's verbal assurance instead of seeing documents.
• Renting space for uses the building was not approved for, such as restaurants or storage in residential floors.
• Adding floors or rooftop structures without engineering assessment and approval.
• Losing original documents, with no scanned backups.
• Using middlemen who promise shortcuts. Deal with the authority's official process and registered professionals.

Final Thoughts

RAJUK approvals can seem like a bureaucratic hurdle, but for a landlord they are the foundation of a safe, rentable and sellable building. Know what your approved plan allows, keep the building and its use in line with it, keep your documents organised, and seek professional help before any extension, change of use or purchase. When you are unsure, ask RAJUK or your local authority directly and consult a qualified lawyer and architect.

Once the legal foundations are in place, day-to-day management is where good organisation pays off. Bariwala ERP (বাড়িওয়ালা ERP) helps landlords keep buildings, floors and units organised, store tenant agreements, generate monthly invoices and track income and expenses, leaving you more time to focus on the bigger questions like compliance and safety.