Ensure safety measures on dev project sites

Speakers at a meeting on Sunday stressed the need for ensuring proper enforcement of safety provisions in international contracts signed on development projects in the city.
They suggested holding regular meetings of project implementation agencies to strengthen monitoring and avert occupational accidents.
Chaired by Mayor Atiqul Islam, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) organised the meeting in an effort to mitigate accidents in the ongoing projects.
The meeting discussed the fatal accident in the BRT project at Uttara on August 15 last that left five members of a family dead and two others injured.
The speakers mentioned that all international contracts on development projects contain clauses related to occupational hazards, but enforcements are hardly found due to negligence and ignorance of all concerned.
DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique, RHD Chief Engineer AKM Monir Hossain Pathan, National Housing Authority Chairman M Delwar Haider, RAJUK Chairman M Anisur Rahman Mia, DBRTCL Managing Director Safiqul Islam, Bridges Division Additional Secretary Md Moniruzzaman, DNCC CEO Md Selim Reza and Chief Engineer Brigadier General Md Amirul Islam were present at the meeting.
Officials and representatives from different projects like MRT-6, MRT-1, Dhaka Elevated Expressway, Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway and Accident Research Institute were also present.
The Mayor stressed on forming a team to ensure safety compliance in all development projects and said that the occurrence of accidents due to lack of safety precaution during construction work embarrassed the government.
Citing an accident that took place on Saturday, he said the DNCC will take action against any non-compliant construction sites as he planned to make surprise visits along with a magistrate anytime.
The DMTCL MD suggested conducting research-oriented investigation by the ARI on the BRT accident and preparing safety guidelines for the development projects.
The speakers also suggested keeping the mission offices aware of the performance by contractors from respective countries so that contract-related complications can be avoided with the contractors.
The DNCC and Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) shared two presentations to highlight the issues of occupational safety in international contracts and reality in the city like equipment and measures taken by the MRT project-6.

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