Most of the high-rise buildings of Rajshahi city are being constructed without following any safety rule for the construction workers. As a result, there are frequent accidents and many construction workers are dying by falling from the under construction roof or high-walls of the buildings. For the same reason, the lives of passersby through the adjacent roads of the buildings are also at stake and often there are injuries by being hit with bricks or brick-bats falling from the roofs of those buildings.
No security measure is being ensured for the construction of both the private and the government buildings. None of the authorities of the Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishments and the Rajshahi Development Authorities are taking any step to ensure safety measures for the people working on the buildings. Even, no legal measure is being taken against the owner of the building from whose roof any construction worker falls and dies.
According to sources, on December-19 last year, construction worker Nazim Uddin(50) died when a brick fell on his head from the roof of an under construction building inside Rajshahi Medical College Hospital campus. Contractors of the Public Works Department engaged labourers for the construction of the building. Brig Gen Shamim Yazdani, Director of RMCH informed, the contractors responsible for performing the construction works did not ensure the safety measures during the work which led to the accident and the death.
On January-8, another construction worker Alek (35) died when he fell from the roof of Kazi Nazrul Islam auditorium of RU during renovation works of the building. Recently, another construction worker was injured seriously when he fell from the roof of an UC five storied building at Dorikharbona area of the city. Several days later, another labourer was injured by falling from the roof of another five-storied building of the same area.
It is learnt, the construction work of a large number of high-rise buildings has been done in Rajshahi for the last one decade. According to the building codes and the existing rules of construction of any building of the country, family members of any labourer facing death during work will be compensated with Tk. 250,000 by the owner of the building. According to the building cons codes, it is mandatory for a labourer to wear a helmet on the head during work and wearing of gloves and spectacles is also necessary during any concrete-works and the works harmful for eyes. Using belts during working upstairs of multistoried buildings has also been made mandatory.
Azizul Haque Bangalee, President of Building Construction Labourers Union, Bangladesh said,' Construction workers in Rajshahi lack safety at their workplaces. Owners of the multi-storied buildings are forcing the labourers to work without ensuring any safety measure and the owners are not taking any responsibility for any accident at the workplace. We demand security measures during construction of any building for the safety of the workers.' He also said, the accident related deaths during building construction are increasing in the city due to negligence of the concerned authorities.
Abul Kalam Azad, Authorised Officer of RDA in this connection informed, it is ordered during issuing any plan of a building that safety of the workers during construction of the building must be ensured. The site Engineer is also reminded of ensuring the safety of the workers. But, RDA is not authorised to take any legal measure against any person for violating the order.
Harun-ur-Rashid, Inspector (safety) of the Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishments, Rajshahi div, informed he was busy with another important official job that is why the safety issues of the building construction is not being properly inspected. However, he said, while he gets any complaint of death of any worker, he conducts an investigation of the incident and helps realise compensation for the affected family members.
