The partial demolition work followed Thursday's Supreme Court order to destroy the 16 upper floors of the building, overruling a High Court judgment that had earlier declared valid the construction beyond the sixth floor of the 22-storey building.

Drivers of vehicles passing through Airport Road were rubbernecking, slowing down the traffic while thousands of people gathered there to see the beginning of the first large scale building demolition in the country.

Around 150 demolition workers of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) wearing red T-shirts entered the much-talked about Rangs Bhaban at Bijoy Sarani crossing in the capital a few minutes before 8:00am yesterday to start the partial demolition.

To supervise the drive, Rajuk formed 16 teams and engaged a Rajuk official on each floor where 25 demolition workers were deployed for the job.

Police and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed around the building to ensure security, while Fire Brigade units were ready on the spot for any emergency.

Three hundred demolition workers are working in two shifts one from 8:00am to 2:00pm and the other from 2:00pm to 10:00pm -- as Rajuk plans to remove the internal walls, doors, and windows of the 22-storey building in two days.

After the removal of the internal structures of the building, demolition of the main structure will start on Sunday, Rajuk's authorised officer, Fazlul Kabir, said adding, "We will need heavy machinery like rod cutters, cranes and ladders to cut the concrete beams, slabs and columns of the building."

Dhaka Electric Supply Authority, and Water and Sewerage Authority cut the electricity and water supply to the building as part of the demolition process, which is being supervised by Rajuk Magistrate Emdadud Dastagir.

Dastagir told newsmen that they prepared a budget of Tk 1 crore to demolish the upper part of the building, an undertaking that might take around three months to be finished.

The authorities broke down the glass façade of the upper floors at 1:00am when movements of pedestrians and vehicles were thin due to the Jum'a prayers.

"In absence of electricity, it was a bit dark on the floors. We broke the glass sheets first so that the workers inside don't get suffocated," said Raihanul Ferdaus, superintendent engineer of Rajuk.

Traffic on the adjacent road was also restricted from 1:00pm to 2:00pm to avert any accident, as shards of glass were raining down from the tall building.

The officials of the companies that had purchased different floors of the building said the government did not provide them with enough time to move from the building with ease.

Shanin Group Chairman Ashikur Rahman Khan told journalists that as they received the Rajuk notice for moving their office at 5:15pm on Thursday, the time was too short to move smoothly.

"Rangs Bhaban is not in the fly zone of aircraft, still it is being demolished. But what will happen to Novo Theatre and Bashundhara City Complex, which also fall in the fly zone?" he asked.

AK Sheikh Abul Hasan, executive director of Appollo Ispat Complex Ltd, said they started moving their office materials to their Tejgaon office at 4:00pm, but could not finish on time.

"Rangs Bhaban authorities did not even allow us to use the elevators. Some of our workers were injured while bringing the goods down through the staircase," he said.

Rajuk Officer Fazlul Kabir however said they allowed the companies housed in the building to move their offices even after the time had been over.

"The price of our floor is 20 crore taka. Only the decoration cost us over 1 crore taka. What is our fault that we have to count such a huge loss?" Abul Hasan questioned.

Several local residents however termed the demolition 'a right step' as the highest court had found corruption in its construction process. "However big the owners are, they must be punished if found to be involved in corruption," said Abdul Wahid, a local resident.

Abdur Rahman, a general manager of Rangs Group, told the media earlier that the companies, that were housed in the commercial building worth Tk 700 crore, used to employ 35,000 people.

Meanwhile, Sohana Rouf Chowdhury, a director of Rangs Group also a daughter of its Director Rouf Chowdhury, yesterday criticised Rajuk for partially demolishing the building without giving enough time to the companies housed there for moving their offices elsewhere.

Talking to journalists at a city hotel, she also said they had yet to receive the Rajuk notice announcing the partial demolition of Rangs Bhaban.