The demolition of the Gulshan Shopping Centre located in the capital’s Gulshan-1 has started, following the order of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
Several parts of the building were demolished on Monday night, but the process was stopped by police obstruction because it was considered unsafe.
Later, at around 12pm, the demolition process began again.
On Monday, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld a High Court order that ordered the authorities concerned to demolish the Gulshan Shopping Centre within 30 days.
On December 13, the High Court ordered the authorities concerned to demolish Gulshan Shopping Centre within 30 days.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk and others were ordered to implement the order.
Fire Service officials inspected the market in 2017 and issued a letter to the market authorities to ensure fire safety.
The fire service declared the building unfit for use on June 11, 2018. They visited the market again in June 2021 and saw no improvement.
Then they declared it “highly risky” and asked the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to shut it down.
On May 28, 2023, Fire Service officials visited the shopping centre and found 10 fire hazards in the building.
On June 8, 2023, DNCC officials visited the market and asked owners to leave it. The owners sought time till July 30.
Later, on July 13, 2023, DNCC sealed Gulshan Shopping Centre, terming it “risky”.
Regional Executive Officer and Executive Magistrate Julkar Nayan and Executive Magistrate Mahbub Hasan conducted a mobile court and sealed off the hotels, shops, and business establishments of the six-storey Gulshan Shopping Centre.