Tk 1.06b project to protect city bldgs from disasters

The government is set to take up a project involving over Tk 1.06 billion to install state-of-the-art equipment for preventing damage to city buildings from disasters such as earthquake and fire, officials said.

The ministry of housing and public works (MoHPW) has already sent a project proposal to the cabinet division for approval by the cabinet committee on public purchase.

 "We have sent a project proposal to the cabinet committee on public purchase for approval in its next meeting," project director of Public Works Department (PWD) Syed Mahfuz Ahmed told the FE.  

He said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the government of Bangladesh (GoB) will provide required funds for implementing the project.

Earlier, the Executive Committee on National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the development project profile (DPP) on February 2, 2016.

The PWD official said initially, they will provide technical supports to government buildings and garment factories to install fire safety equipment and earthquake resistance equipment for preventing losses from natural disasters.

He said the banks will provide loan to the garment factories for purchasing earthquake and fire safety equipment.

The garment factories located in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chittagong will get bank loan for installation of earthquake resistance and fire safety equipment.   

The PWD official said they will construct a ten-storey building for the fire service headquarters at Mirpur in the capital. Three fire service offices will also be rebuilt while six others will be retrofitted.  

Mr Ahmed who is also additional chief engineer of PWD said they will expand the project throughout the country gradually aiming to safeguard the buildings from natural disasters.  

    talhabinhabib@yahoo.com