Rajuk's Demolition Drive

[alladin212]

Govt yet to demolish risky buildings in city
Some 25 thousands buildings identified as vulnerable
Ziaur Rahman
Amid life risk, thousands of people are living in vulnerable and fragile residence and different commercial buildings at different places including old part of capital Dhaka.
According to survey and inquiry reports prepared several times, some 25 thousands residential and commercial buildings have been identified as vulnerable and risky for dwelling and these building may collapse anytime.
Earlier, the government had decided to demolish these risky and vulnerable buildings but it is yet to implement its decision due to unknown reason.
After the collapse of a century-old building in the city's Shakhari Bazar area in the month of June in 2004, the government has taken the issue seriously and formed several committees to take effective measures regarding these types of vulnerable and risky buildings. But no measures have been taken till date. During that period the committee had also identified a large number of buildings which are not suitable and safe for living.
Mehedi Hassan Ansari, a teacher of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in his research, showed that 65 per cent of the buildings in the capital, have been constructed violating national building code and without engineering design.
"As these buildings have been constructed without proper policy and engineering design, it may collapse anytime. These buildings are becoming more vulnerable and risky day by day. Government should take immediate steps to address these problems otherwise different types of disaster may take place.
BUET Vice-Chancellor MM Safiullah said apart from the century old buildings situated in different places in the city especially in old Dhaka, indiscriminate and unplanned construction of high rise buildings, the condition of a large number buildings have taken a serious turn. "This trend should be stopped. Not only government but also all concerned engaged in constructing buildings should come forward to save the city people," he added.
In 2004, Dhaka City Corporation had prepared a list of risky and vulnerable buildings in the capital. According to the report hundreds of century old buildings situated in the old Dhaka, have become more vulnerable and risky. The report suggested that these buildings will have to be declared abandoned. DCC also recommend the authority concerned that some 585 buildings will have to be demolished.The report declared Shakhari Bazar, Tnati Bazar, Lalbagh, Farsahganj, Shympur and Shymbazar as danger zones as these areas contain the vulnerable buildings. These vulnerable establishments were constructed between 30 and 350 years ago.
According to a DCC official, most of buildings in old Dhaka don't have sufficient space. If any building collapses, the other buildings constructed adjacent, will also collapse. "The collapse of one building could trigger off a chain reaction and adjacent buildings would fall like dominoes," he cautioned.


http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/back%20page.htm

[tislam84]

I found a new picture of Rangs Bhaban on Daily Star. I could not post the attachment for some reason , so here is the link:

http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=54088

Hopefully, the government will be able to open Bijoy Sharani Extension Road on the 16th of December.

[Dhakaiya]

Hopefully.....

[amar11372]

by rashed hafiz

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[tislam84]

Great pictures Amar! Rangs Bhaban looks a little scary now....

[tanzirian]

I hope they are serious about building that road. I would hate to lose such a nice building for nothing. I hope that the demolition is finished before elections otherwise there is always a chance that the process is left unfinished and we end up with a major eyesore.

[TIslam]

Originally Posted by tanzirian

I hope they are serious about building that road. I would hate to lose such a nice building for nothing. I hope that the demolition is finished before elections otherwise there is always a chance that the process is left unfinished and we end up with a major eyesore.

I thought they have built parts of that road already? Unless the next elected government happens to be cronies of the Rangs people, I doubt anything would happen like Rangs getting the land back to build again. But then, didn't the courts ruled against Rangs? Of course anything can happen in Bangladesh because the credibility and integrity of the judiciary is yet unproven.

[clearsky]

Rangs bhaban looks like its in a war zone and was bombed heavily! Anyway, I was reading some previous posts and found that there were quite a bit of concerns about demolishing high rises for implementing some inane CAAB rules. Well, I haven't heard anything further about it. So, that should make all of us, the skyscraper fans, happy. Driving in Dhaka has become completely unbearable, so looks like the govt. will extend the road there afterwards. there is some benefit of seeing this building going away!

[mirzazeehan]

Originally Posted by clearsky

Rangs bhaban looks like its in a war zone and was bombed heavily! Anyway, I was reading some previous posts and found that there were quite a bit of concerns about demolishing high rises for implementing some inane CAAB rules. Well, I haven't heard anything further about it. So, that should make all of us, the skyscraper fans, happy. Driving in Dhaka has become completely unbearable, so looks like the govt. will extend the road there afterwards. there is some benefit of seeing this building going away!

Yeah..CAAB rules regarding high rises were always crazy..and if this govt. couldn't implement those lousy rules,then no govt ever will.That definitely calls for celebrations

[dopekhor]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

Yeah..CAAB rules regarding high rises were always crazy..and if this govt. couldn't implement those lousy rules,then no govt ever will.That definitely calls for celebrations

fcuk teh caab, those bitches are one of the biggest ghushkhors in bd

[dopekhor]

Originally Posted by mirzazeehan

Yeah..CAAB rules regarding high rises were always crazy..and if this govt. couldn't implement those lousy rules,then no govt ever will.That definitely calls for celebrations

fcuk teh caab, those bitches are one of the biggest ghushkhors in bd

[khalek]

Oh what a view of the under construction Rangs Bhaban!

[meghnarmajhi]

under construction?

scary

[jessiewei]

A good news.Hope Dhaka will have a promising development in the future.

[Jim856796]

65% of the buildings in Dhaka were constructed violating national building codes and without proper engineering design. If a majority of buildings in a city were constructed illegally, we might need a plan to transform that entire city and make it a better one similar to what Baron Haussman did to Paris in the 1800s.

And does this thread cover demolitions anywhere in Dhaka or only in certain areas?

[tanzirian]

This thread was created several years ago...when Rajuk, particularly under the military-sponsored Caretaker Government, started tearing down highrises and other structures for various violations. As far to my knowledge, this drive has now died down, so this thread is somewhat obsolete.

Your idea of tearing down buildings en masse is going to accomplish little in a developing country with limited resources. In time, as the general wealth increases, an increasing proportion of buildings will be built according to stricter building standards, without such drastic meaures. Building standards have little to do with the Rajuk demolition drive. For instance, Rangs Bhaban was torn down because it was blocking the path of a planned avenue. Several constructions were suspende because they were impinging on the Hatir Jheel water collection area. Etc.

Also, on another note, I have no idea what jessiewei is referring to...since he / she is the one responsible for ressurecting this thread.

[amar11372]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

65% of the buildings in Dhaka were constructed violating national building codes and without proper engineering design. If a majority of buildings in a city were constructed illegally, we might need a plan to transform that entire city and make it a better one similar to what Baron Haussman did to Paris in the 1800s.

And does this thread cover demolitions anywhere in Dhaka or only in certain areas?

You won't be seeing future demolitions in Dhaka even though buildings in Dhaka were constructed violating national building codes. Politician themselves are guilty of this and they won't tear down their own building, right?. On a recent article I read the Govt is updating national building codes to allow more skyscrapers in more areas, most likely those building violating codes will be incorporated into new rules and make them in sync with the law.

[Jim856796]

Well, maybe if some of the good-looking and stable-looking structures hadn't been ruled as illegal, several buildings in Dhaka wouldn't be dying right now.

[Jim856796]

I would rather find some slum areas in Dhaka to tear down and improve rather than some good-looking buildings which are being torn down for no reason.

[mirzazeehan]

Originally Posted by Jim856796

I would rather find some slum areas in Dhaka to tear down and improve rather than some good-looking buildings which are being torn down for no reason.

Dont worry bro,the days of new buildings being torn down are gone.....thats not gonna happen on a significant scale anymore,that govt is gone.