Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) has said it would investigate into yesterday’s land subsidence at a Karwan Bazar construction site and take legal measures against the people responsible for the incident.
The investigation would be conducted alongside probe by teams from the two city corporations, additional member of Rajuk Planning Division Md Abdur Rahman told journalists during his visit to the scene of the incident yesterday.
Blaming Rajuk’s irresponsibility for the incident, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq and Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon announced at the spot, in presence of local MP Fazle Noor Tapash, that they would form a committee to investigate into the incident.
The committee would include representatives from the Army Engineering Corps, Fire Service, Rajuk, Dhaka north and south city corporations and others concerned.
Rajuk officials said the investigation would be conducted following the Building Construction Act 1952 (amendment 1987) and the Real Estate Development and Management Act 2010.
Rajuk official Abdur Rahman, however, said the responsibility of the setback fell on the owners of the under-construction building and Sundarban Hotel.
“Rajuk may have some irresponsibility, but the major defaulter is the building owners,” he said. “After ending the investigation, steps will be taken against the people responsible.”
He further said the construction company did not follow the building code, causing the vulnerable situation.
Earlier, Rajuk officials said the authority sometimes could not take action against illegal buildings due to High Court stay orders.
The regulator, in a survey conducted during 2008-2010, identified more than 300 vulnerable buildings in Dhaka city.
Rajuk, the regulator of planning, development and monitoring of real estate sector in Dhaka city and its adjoining areas, undertook the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) in 2004 to develop Dhaka into a more organised and better structured metropolitan, encompassing the peripheral areas like Savar, Narayanganj and Gazipur. But very little of the DAP has so far been implemented.
