Tackling high-rise hazards

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The tilting of a seven-storey building at Kathalbagan area in the city last week is another glaring example of negligence and gross violation of building rules on the part of all those who joined together to erect such a huge structure. A four-member probe body headed by a former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has found that foundation failure was the cause of Kathalbagan building collapse. The building tilted on a 17- storey adjacent tower and sank ten feet deep into the ground.
Improper piling, faulty construction, use of inferior quality materials and violation of building code have been found behind the collapse of many other buildings in the city in the recent past. Most of the collapsed buildings have one thing in common, that is, the structures were raised on wetlands. In order to save money the developers hardly lay foundation from required depth. The foundation of Kathalbagan building which was constructed on a filled up pond was required to reach a depth of 65 feet below the ground. But the developer found it convenient to carry out piling work up to a depth of 25 feet. Moreover, the design of the building, approved by Rajuk, was not followed. The Rajuk also could not supervise construction and compel the developer to obey rules.
Many other buildings in Dhaka city and its adjoining areas, built on marshy tracts, have collapsed for foundation failures in the recent past. On June 02 last a five-storey building at Begunbari caved in killing 25 people. On October 26 a three-storey building in city's Dakshinkhan area fell to the ground. In 2002 a high-rise built on a wetland at Shahjahanpur collapsed. A garment factory at Savar collapsed in 2004. In 1997 seven construction workers were killed when a seven-storey under-construction building at Kalabagan fell to the ground. A probe committee formed after those accidents also found that fault in piling work on the filled up wetlands was the main cause behind the mishaps. The recommendations made by the probe committee were not followed, nor punitive actions taken against those found guilty.
It may sound strange that Rajuk served a notice on the developer of the seven-storey Kathalbagan building on December 21 last year for fault in its foundation and deviation in approved design. Ten days later Rajuk issued notice for demolition of the building due to non-compliance of its instruction. The Rajuk also asked the authorities of power, water and gas not to provide connections to it. Despite such a stern warning by Rajuk the developer managed to proceed with the construction and sell flats to buyers. It is not known who prevented the Rajuk from taking action against the developer at fault. The Rajuk authority however blamed staff shortage for its inaction. The city dwellers have reasons to feel concerned that the seven-storey tilted building at Kathalbagan is one of the five thousand structures listed by Rajuk having been constructed without following rules. So far, the Rajuk has demolished parts of 200 buildings which were constructed illegally. So long the faulty structures continue to remain out of Rajuk action people residing in those buildings as well as in the neighbourhoods will be exposed to hazards.
It is indeed alarming that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a survey has found that most of the buildings of the Dhaka city are not earthquake-resistant. About 53% of the buildings have weak foundation, 41% are unstable and 34% possess weak pillars and columns. Amid this scenario the concerned authorities must exercise utmost caution to check the violation of building code so that the area of hazards does not further expand with the constructions of new faulty buildings. We fully endorse the view expressed by Awami League MP Fazle Noor Taposh while visiting the tilted Kathalbagan building on Monday last. Taposh, as appeared in the press, said it seemed that there is no guardian of the city. Most of the developers hardly obey law, he was quoted as saying.
It is high time that the authorities take urgent and effective measures to prevent illegal construction of buildings for the sake of public safety and welfare of the country.
E-mail : khalilbdh@gmail.com