Four Years, Tk 13 Lakh, No Flat or Refund

I am a government employee. Like many other people, I also dreamed of having my own flat. To fulfil that dream, I took a loan and booked a flat in a housing project.

At the beginning, I believed that the project would be completed on time and I would eventually get my flat. I paid the booking money in different instalments over nearly four years. In total, I paid Tk 13 lakh.

But later, a problem emerged over the ownership of the land. A person claiming to be a legal heir filed a case over the property. As a result, construction work on the project stopped.

Since then, I have been living with uncertainty. I have already paid Tk 13 lakh, but I am not getting the flat. At the same time, I am also not getting my money back.

For me, this is not just a financial loss. I took a loan because I wanted to buy a home. Now I have neither the flat nor the money I invested in it. The situation has created serious financial pressure for me.

My experience shows how difficult the situation can become for a buyer when a dispute over the land arises after booking a flat. A buyer may regularly pay instalments and follow the agreement, but still become helpless if the developer faces a legal dispute over the project land.

Before booking the flat, I believed that the project was safe. But now I understand that a buyer should independently verify the ownership of the land and find out whether there are any disputes, cases, mortgages or claims involving the property.

I believe developers should provide buyers with clear information about land ownership, legal disputes and project approvals before taking booking money. Buyers should also be given proper protection if a project cannot be completed because of a land dispute.

My experience is a warning for other people who are planning to buy a flat. Before paying booking money, buyers should carefully check the land documents, ownership history, project approval and legal status of the property. They should also make sure that the agreement clearly explains how their money will be returned if the project cannot be completed.

For an ordinary salaried person, Tk 13 lakh is a huge amount. I paid this money over several years with the hope of owning a home. Today, I am still waiting for either the flat or the return of my money.