ACC not interested to join hands with Rajuk

Md Shah Jahan | Published: April 05, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is now reluctant to take part in any drive against some 9,000 buildings constructed violating the designs approved by Rajuk (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha) saying that it is not the task of the Commission.
The anti graft watchdog, however, will continue its actions if it finds allegation of corruption against any person or entities, a top ACC official said.
ACC Chairman M Badiuzzaman told the FE Friday that they discarded the programme of launching drive against illegal buildings in the capital as the Commission thinks it is not their task.
"Initiation of any drive against illegal structures is not the job of ACC. Once a programme was taken and we abandoned it later," he said.
The ACC boss said they will take action against a person or an organisation if they find allegation rather than launching drive against illegal structures.
In late 2012, a special probe team of the ACC identified 9,000 illegally constructed buildings in the capital which are among the 9,500 buildings spotted by Rajuk.
The ACC probe team also sent the list to Rajuk with some recommendations for taking legal action. The recommendations include formation of a joint special team by ACC and Rajuk officials to demolish the risky buildings and realise fines from owners of the unauthorised buildings. The team then scrutinised the documents of some 1,500 buildings and visited nearly 200 structures. It found that the developers and land owners were directly involved in setting up these unauthorised structures, and Rajuk officials, particularly field-level ones, showed their negligence to duty in monitoring the buildings while being constructed.
During the ACC investigation, it was also detected that some 3,000 residential buildings are currently being used for non-residential and commercial purposes illegally.
ACC sources said the Rajuk does not approve the designs of buildings beside narrow roads (less than 8 feet and 3 inch wide), but many buildings are being set up beside such roads in the city without having the designs approved by Rajuk.
At present, there are thousands of small and high-rise buildings located beside the narrow roads in Dhaka city. As Rajuk has not taken any effective step to follow the existing rules in constructing these structures, the developers or land owners are involved in setting up their buildings changing the designs approved by it.
Many are even expanding their buildings horizontally changing the Rajuk-approved designs. According to the rules, Rajuk has the authority to conduct an eviction drive to demolish such unauthorised structures, but it has a little or no interest at all to do so, the sources said.
The ACC investigation team recommended to the Commission to launch a joint drive with Rajuk to check the mushrooming of unauthorised structures and thus stop the unplanned urbanisation and make the city livable for the dwellers. An ACC investigator said a special team comprising urban planners and experts, the ACC and Rajuk can jointly conduct drives in certain areas to check the construction of unauthorised structures.
The ACC then decided to launch a drive accordingly. However, later it did not get strength due to lack of consensus between the Commission and Rajuk. Rajuk member (planning) Sheikh Abdul Mannan told the FE that they are still ready to launch joint drive if the ACC wants.
"We usually launch drive against illegal structures as part of our regular activities and it is our responsibility. Earlier, we took a decision to work with ACC as the Commission wanted to help us, and we are still ready to work with the Commission," he said.
Meanwhile, the housing and public works minister Mosharraf Hossain told Parliament recently that there are 4,097 buildings in Dhaka city constructed in violation of the designs approved by Rajuk.
Some of the illegally constructed buildings are owned by the government and the Dhaka city corporations, according to updated list placed in the House.
The minister also told the House that a process was under way to demolish the buildings constructed in breach of rules and plans approved by Rajuk.