Ctg Correspondent
The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) conducted a mobile court operation in the city’s Halishahar and Agrabad areas against buildings and establishments allegedly violating approved designs, construction regulations and parking requirements.
During the operation, two popular super shops on Agrabad Access Road were fined Tk 8 lakh and Tk 11 lakh respectively for alleged violations related to approval and parking facilities. A restaurant named Session Lounge was also sealed for allegedly operating without providing any parking space.
The mobile court was conducted on Thursday in the presence of CDA Chairman Engineer Md. Belayet Hossain. CDA Special Metropolitan Magistrate (Joint District and Sessions Judge) Haymun Tanzin led the operation.
CDA Supervising Engineer and Chairman of Building Construction Committee-2 Mohang Manjur Hasan, Authorised Officer-2 Tanzib Hossain, Assistant Authorised Officer Md. Elias Akter and other officials were present during the drive.
According to CDA sources, the authority inspected a total of 11 buildings in Halishahar and Agrabad. Three buildings had their unauthorised or non-compliant portions demolished, while four buildings were sealed. Written undertakings were also obtained from several building owners.
In another case, a building owner was fined Tk 41 lakh for constructing the building in violation of the approved plan. With the fines imposed on the establishments and building owners, the total amount collected during the operation reached Tk 60 lakh.
CDA officials said the operation was conducted as part of efforts to ensure that buildings are constructed according to approved plans and that mandatory parking facilities are properly maintained.
CDA Chairman Engineer Md. Belayet Hossain said many large super shops were being constructed without adequate parking facilities, creating traffic congestion and public inconvenience.
He urged building owners and businesses to strictly follow CDA-approved designs. He also stressed the need to ensure adequate parking and prevent public suffering when constructing commercial establishments, schools, colleges and hospitals.
Mohang Manjur Hasan, Supervising Engineer and Chairman of Building Construction Committee-2, said CDA operations against illegal and unauthorised construction, including structures built on designated parking spaces, would continue.
Authorised Officer Tanzib Hossain said ensuring construction according to CDA-approved plans was essential for developing Chattogram as a planned city. Regular monitoring through mobile courts was being carried out to achieve this objective, he added.
CDA officials further said drives against deviations from approved designs, illegal structures and encroachment on designated parking spaces would be intensified across different parts of the city.
Officials who participated in the operation included Building Inspectors Md. Toukael Hossain, Biman Barua, Abu Zaker Iqbal, Zubayer Ibn Anwar, Md. Saidur Rahman, Saif Alam Simanto, Sajib Das and Mithu Kumar Chowdhury, along with Haradhan Das, peshkar of the Chattogram magistrate branch.
CDA said such enforcement drives would continue to ensure compliance with approved building plans, construction regulations and parking requirements across the metropolitan area. #EK
