The north and south Dhaka City Corporations and the Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (Rajuk) are locked in a row over the fate of buildings identified as risky in the capital. This has left thousands of people vulnerable to possible major tragedies like the Rana Plaza collapse.
The row has caused uncertainty in taking decisions like demolition or retrofitting the buildings in the densely-populated city of more than 14 million people.
Experts have expressed their serious concern over the inordinate delays in dealing with structural flaws. They have urged the authorities to immediately stop shifting responsibility and take concrete decision for security of the people still residing in those vulnerable buildings.
The then Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), now divided into two parts South and North, with the help of the Rajuk, made a list of 321 risky residential buildings in the city in 2010 following tilting of a multi-storeyed apartment building in the capital's Kathal Bagan area.
Since then, the authorities failed to make any visible progress over the key issue even in three years in the city having 400 years' history.
Concerned officials said they held meetings on several occasions in the past but failed to reach a decision on who will take the responsibility and play the lead role regarding the issue.
Talking about the issue, Rajuk Director (Development Control) Golam Mostafa they made the list of risky buildings following the request of the then Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) because of their limited manpower in 2010.
"We just helped them (the then DCC) in preparing a list," he said, adding that the authorities of both the City Corporations have to take the decision on the fate of the detected vulnerable buildings. Seeking anonymity, another senior Rajuk official said it is clearly mentioned in the City Corporation Act that the concerned City Corporation officials will act in demolishing the vulnerable buildings under their jurisdiction.
"We have no legal authority in this connection. The Rajuk can only take action against the house owners for violation of building codes," he said. The city development authority in that case forces the owners to pay the cost of knocking down the buildings, he added.
However, Rajuk Chairman Nurul Huda in January 2010 announced publicly that the city development authority would demolish 5,000 illegal buildings in the capital.
When contacted, Chief Urban Planner of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Md. Sirajul Islam raised a question about the process of the list, saying that it was done without any scientific structural test.
He said they wrote letters on four occasions in the past asking the Rajuk to know the parameters of assessing a building structurally flawed but they did not respond.
"The Rajuk cannot ignore its responsibility as some of the buildings in the list were approved by it," he said.
Referring to Sections (16 and 17) of the City Corporation Act, he said it was clearly mentioned there that the City Corporation will have the power of okaying the plan of a building within its jurisdiction and will be responsible if the structure becomes vulnerable.
"So, we cannot take the responsibility of the buildings whose plans were approved by the Rajuk," he added.
Talking about the issue, urban planner and an associate professor of Dhaka University Dr Maksudur Rahman said it is a common practice in the country to shift responsibility of one on to others.
"It is the responsibility of both the Rajuk and the City Corporation to oversee the structural safety. A combined effort is required in this connection," he said.
He further said people of the country do not want to see officials of these bodies shifting their responsibility whenever a tragic incident occurs.
"We talk most of the time about structural safety in apparel factories after the Rana Plana tragedy. We don't give attention to thousands of people living in dilapidated buildings, which could collapse at any time," he added.
A recent research report by the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDMP) said there are around 78,000 vulnerable buildings in Dhaka, of which 6,500 are in grave danger.
