‘36 July’ Housing Project temporarily suspended

The proposed ‘36 July’ housing project, designed to support the families of martyrs from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has been temporarily suspended. A decision to restructure the project and change the implementing ministry was made at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs will now assume responsibility for the project.

The decision was taken on Sunday, July 27, during an ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. The meeting was chaired by Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

Following the meeting, Planning Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud briefed the media, stating that while the project is a well-intentioned initiative, questions regarding unusual cost estimations and the jurisdiction of the implementing agency led to the decision to put it on hold for the time being.

“The tender process had begun without a proper cost assessment,” he said. “Moreover, multiple government ministries already have programs in place to assist the families of the martyrs. These efforts need to be better coordinated.”

The National Housing Authority had originally planned the project under the name ‘36 July’ to build residential flats for the families of those martyred in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement 2024. The project was to be implemented in Mirpur, Dhaka, at an estimated cost of Tk 761.16 crore (approximately $70 million). The plan included over 800 flats to be provided free of charge to the families of the martyrs.