The district town of Faridpur is experiencing a building construction spree like elsewhere in the country, but over 75% of those buildings have been built violating the building code.
Bangladesh National Building Code, and certain rules of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, and the Department of Environment, have to be followed for constructing a building. However, most of the owners are ignoring these rules while constructing buildings in the district town.
During field visits, this correspondent found most of the buildings, in many areas, including Niltuli, Jhiltuli, Janata Bank Mor, Khabaspur, Laxmipur, and Alipur, were constructed violating the rules.
Most of the buildings do not follow the approved designs, and they lack fire safety measures, putting peoples’ lives at risk.
Assistant director of Faridpur Fire Service and Civil Defence Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed said 75-80% of over 200 buildings in the district town have no proper approval.
Mentioning that they are only capable of dealing with a fire up to the 5th floor, he said: “It’s hard to say what will happen if a fire strikes a floor above.”
There are allegations that the municipality authorities do not monitor whether the existing rules are duly followed while constructing building structures.
Faridpur municipality mayor Sheikh Mahtab Ali Methu also admitted it, saying they cannot properly monitor the construction of buildings for lack of required manpower. “Even then, we’re trying to ensure that everybody abides by the rules.”
Omar Ali Khan, owner of local Shah Farid Real Estate Company, blamed the government officers concerning this, saying, “Why would we not follow the rules if they force us to do so?”
He also alleged that no file is approved in a government office without money.
Women leader Asma Akhter said even the owners face the risk if buildings are constructed by flouting the rules.
Admitting it, Deputy Commissioner of the district, Umme Salma Tanjia said action will be taken against the owners of illegally-constructed buildings.
She said work is underway to prepare a list of such buildings. “The decision will be taken after discussions with the owners,” she said, adding that all will be forced to abide by the rules.