Demolition of tilted Begunbari building starts
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
FE Report
The city development authorities launched a crackdown on unapproved buildings in the capital from Tuesday by starting demolition of the seven-storied apartment house at Begunbari three days after it tilted to one side.
Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakha (RAJUK) has taken the initiative after the tragic building collapse that toppled on three tin-shed shanties at the same area on June 1, which killed 25 people, mostly low-paid workers, and injured several others.
Around 30 workers of RAJUK, led by its executive magistrate Rokon-Ud-Dowla, began the demolition drive at about 10:30 am along with the men deployed by owner of the building, which was constructed without permission of RAJUK.
Rokon-Ud-Dowla said they would continue with the demolition adding: "We'll also knock down another tilted building at Nakhalpara in the city within the next few days."
Mr. Rokon said legal action will be taken against owners of several buildings in the area who have constructed concrete structures illegally.
"RAJUK decided to destroy all the high-rises beyond its approval in phases as the government gave green signal to do so for the sake of public safety," he added.
The authorities asked the owner of another building which recently have tilted at Gandaria to knock down the structure within next the seven days. "We heard the owner have already started demolition the shoddy building," he said.
The building at 40/A/7 North Begunbari was seen to have tilted on Friday scaring residents and local people into thinking that there might be experiencing another horrible incident after last Tuesday's building collapse.
Mizanur Rahman, assistant police commissioner of Tejgaon Industrial Zone, said nearly 30 police personnel were deployed around the building, which was earlier evacuated by law enforcers, in aiding the demolition team.
According to a RAJUK statistic, there are nearly 5,000 structures in the capital which were built without following the building codes.
A RAJUK official seeking anonymity told the FE that they would knock down all the illegal high-rises on the list in the mega city of 14 million people gradually through the drive.
The city development authorities launched a crackdown on unapproved buildings in the capital from Tuesday by starting demolition of the seven-storied apartment house at Begunbari three days after it tilted to one side.
Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakha (RAJUK) has taken the initiative after the tragic building collapse that toppled on three tin-shed shanties at the same area on June 1, which killed 25 people, mostly low-paid workers, and injured several others.
Around 30 workers of RAJUK, led by its executive magistrate Rokon-Ud-Dowla, began the demolition drive at about 10:30 am along with the men deployed by owner of the building, which was constructed without permission of RAJUK.
Rokon-Ud-Dowla said they would continue with the demolition adding: "We'll also knock down another tilted building at Nakhalpara in the city within the next few days."
Mr. Rokon said legal action will be taken against owners of several buildings in the area who have constructed concrete structures illegally.
"RAJUK decided to destroy all the high-rises beyond its approval in phases as the government gave green signal to do so for the sake of public safety," he added.
The authorities asked the owner of another building which recently have tilted at Gandaria to knock down the structure within next the seven days. "We heard the owner have already started demolition the shoddy building," he said.
The building at 40/A/7 North Begunbari was seen to have tilted on Friday scaring residents and local people into thinking that there might be experiencing another horrible incident after last Tuesday's building collapse.
Mizanur Rahman, assistant police commissioner of Tejgaon Industrial Zone, said nearly 30 police personnel were deployed around the building, which was earlier evacuated by law enforcers, in aiding the demolition team.
According to a RAJUK statistic, there are nearly 5,000 structures in the capital which were built without following the building codes.
A RAJUK official seeking anonymity told the FE that they would knock down all the illegal high-rises on the list in the mega city of 14 million people gradually through the drive.