Clicky
National, Front Page

ACC to probe building code violators


Published : 09 Jul 2019 09:33 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 12:01 PM

The Anti -Corruption Commission (ACC) is going to investigate irregularities and corruption in the construction of buildings in the capital. ACC has taken the move after the FR Tower deadly fire incident in Banani that killed 25 people. The top anti-graft watchdog has already collected a list of 6500 buildings from Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakkha (Rajuk) which are mostly believed to be constructed either deviating from the original design or without approval from the authorities concerned.

Syed Iqbal Hossen, director of ACC has been appointed as an investigating officer. Talking with Bangladesh Post on Tuesday, Hossen said, ACC will investigate the irregularities and corruption in building construction in the capital. “It is a matter of concern that influential quarters are not complying with the building code resulting in deadly fire incidents like in FR Tower and collapse of building like Rana Plaza. If people followed the building code and maintained the original design, this sort of incident could easily be avoided” he added.

“We already collected the list of 6500 buildings which were constructed in the shelteri of irregularities and corruption. ACC has decided to investigate those buildings. Nobody would be spared if irregularities are found in our investigation” added Hossen. ACC wants to investigate the most vulnerable buildings on a priority basis and then go for the lesser ones.

ACC is also investigating the FR Tower in Banani, and in primary investigation, it is found that the tower has the approval for 18 storeys but extended another five storeys without approval of Rajuk. Analyzing the documents of the Rajuk, ACC finds that there are some buildings in the capital which are illegally expanded up to 6 to 12 storeys violating the original designs. There was approval for 6 storeys, and it was later raised up to 12, and even in some cases, Rajuk approved 6 storeys, but it was later raisef up to 20 storeys.

Rajuk approved six storey commercial building for Zabbar Tower at Gulshan Avenue, but it was later raised up to 20 storeys defying Rajuk as the owner was a former member of parliament. 20 storey Iqbal Tower in Gulshan also showed its thumb to Rajuk as it has approval for a six-storey commercial building.On the other hand, owner of 12 storey Heer Tower did not even bother to take the approval of Rajuk to build the gigantic business establishment. Rajuk declared all the buildings illegal.

Among the irregularities, the alleged offenders either deviated from the original design or did not leave some portion of the land as open space.The Rajuk documents also found that a handful of buildings were built occupying public land. According to the rules and regulations of Rajuk, nobody can construct any buildingbif the adjacent road is not wider than 8 feet and 3 inches. But in Rajuk supplied documents, ACC finds innumerable numbers of buildings were built beside the lesser width roads.

Syed Iqbal Hossen said “A section of unscrupulous field level officials and staff are behind this sort of building construction. In our investigation we will also focus on this matter and bring the corrupt persons to book.”

ACC sources said, after the Rana Plaza accident in 2013 that left more than one thousand people dead, it was decided that a team comprising Rajuk, department of environment, mobile court and law enforcing agencies will launch special drive against the building code violators under ACC leadership. Deputy Director of ACC SM Shahidur Rahman had been appointed as the team leader. But the decision has never seen the light of day, sources said.