Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam has warned the authorities of development projects that construction work will continue to be disallowed unless safety guidelines are followed at all times.
The DNCC mayor also promised to conduct regular mobile court drives alongside magistrates to ensure that safety measures are in place at construction sites of development projects.
“No project can proceed with construction without ensuring safety. Action will be taken if safety guidelines are violated,” Atiqul said while addressing reporters after a coordination meeting with development project authorities at the DNCC headquarters today.
“I may visit the sites at any time. Action will only be taken if irregularities are found,” he added.
The meeting was called in light of the deaths of five members of a family when a girder of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project fell onto their moving vehicle last Monday. The BRT project authorities were scheduled to submit plans on the safety measures that they will take before resuming construction.
The DNCC mayor stressed that safety measures need to be implemented in reality, and not only on paper.
“Every project contractor and the authorities concerned must ensure safety. Meetings on safety issues should be held on a daily or weekly basis. No safety, no work. Workers should stop work if their safety is not guaranteed,” he said.
He urged development project authorities not to “embarrass the government” through more construction accidents.
A preliminary probe of the accident on August 15 found evidence of widespread negligence with regard to safety standards during the construction work.
Project authorities tighten safety measures
The top brass of public agencies and development project authorities yesterday said they are tightening safety measures to avoid repeats of construction site accidents.
A senior staff member of the BRT project told Dhaka Tribune they are taking several safety measures, including cordoning off construction sites.
Dhaka Mass Transit Development Company (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique said: “There are no problems with safety measures for the Metro Rail project. They follow international standards regarding construction safety.”
DMTCL will brief the reporters today on the safety measures in Metro Rail project areas.
DNCC Chief Executive Officer Md Salim Reza, National Housing Authority Chairman Md Delwar Haider, RAJUK Chairman Md Anisur Rahman Mia, Dhaka BRT Company Managing Director Shafiqul Islam, Department of Roads and Highways Chief Engineers AKM Monir Hossain Pathan, DNCC Chief Engineer Brigadier General Amirul Islam were also present during today's briefing at the DNCC headquarters.