It is a sad commentary on the state of affairs in the country that none really wakes up from slumber unless a man-made disaster collapses a building or a factory, killing hundreds. Those who are involved in approving construction plans at the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) leave contractors or builders to construct buildings as they wish. They often use sub-standard construction materials with faulty structural designs. The Rajuk or the two Dhaka City Corporations (DCCs) disown their responsibility of monitoring construction work. Even after the Rana Plaza tragedy, none seems to care about such risky plazas or buildings in the capital or other parts of the country.
It is really unfortunate that the two DCCs and the Rajuk, according to a report published in the FE last weekend, are now locked in a tug-of-war over who is to demolish or retrofit vulnerable buildings identified as early as in 2010. They are not ready to join hands to provide safe housing. Who knows when another grave tragedy would not occur in the not-too-distant future with faulty structures collapsing? The Sakhari Bazar and the Phoenix building tragedies appear to have been forgotten by both the Rajuk and the DCCs. No designated officials are yet there to monitor how buildings will be built. There is none to ensure that buildings are built as per the National Building Code because money can do the trick easily to flout laws. This applies to developers, not individual land-owners who like to build their homes on their own, taking into account the looming hazards in case of any lapse.
The warnings of the experts have so far been ignored. According to them, there is a high probability of a big earthquake like the 1885 great Bengal earthquake striking the country between 2015 and 2020. Field investigations show that the region covering the Dhaleshwari and Buriganga rivers have active faults that have the potential for generating seismic energy of magnitude as high as 7.5. In addition, a large number of buildings and structures have been constructed without following standard building codes and these do certainly face high earthquake-related disaster risks.
Sadly, it is a trait of the concerned authorities to raise a hue and cry when a catastrophe strikes. They also commit some financial compensation (as if, life can be compensated) to the families of the victims, and then forget about the whole thing -- loss of life and all. Every building collapse demands a thorough inquiry and a follow-up so that there is no repetition of the tragedy by intent or inadvertence. There should be wide publicity of the causes leading to a mishap, so that lessons can be learnt.
Who is to ensure safe housing for citizens?
FE Team | Published: April 10, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
Share if you like