Construction goes on despite Rajuk's notice to stop work

Site of the Birdem's 'Teaching Hospital' in Mirpur. Photo: STAR

Birdem authorities have started construction of a huge building in Mirpur without approval from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in violation of Building Construction Act and related rules, said Rajuk officials.
Construction work is going on despite a Rajuk notice to stop the work until settlement of plan approval issue.
Rajuk Chairman Md Shafiqul Islam said they rejected an application for acceptance of the conceptual plan of the project as construction of the building had started before obtaining design approval.
“Rajuk could not accept the application,” Islam said. “In case they are going on with the construction work, we have to take necessary measures.”
He further said that Rajuk has referred the case to government's Nagar Unnayan Committee, headed by the works secretary, and a subcommittee is examining it.
The project authorities are yet to appeal to the Nagar Unnayan Committee seeking recommendations for settlement of the matter.
The project titled 'Teaching Hospital' is being implemented by Diabetic Association of Bangladesh that runs Birdem (Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetic Endocrinology and Metabolism) Hospital at Shahbagh.
The project authorities were required to apply to Rajuk's special committee (for large-scale building construction) for acceptance of conceptual plan and then go for land use clearance to obtain approval of design from Building Construction (BC) Committee.
Utpal Kumar Dey, Rajuk authorised officer-3, said they served three notices to the project officials. The final notice was served more than a month ago. “the next step is to go for demolition but it requires consent from the higher authorities,” he said.
Even if they get approval from the special committee, they are liable to pay penalty at ten times of normal approval fees to get the design approval as they had initiated construction without permission, he said.
Rajuk Member (Planning) Golam Kibria, who is the convenor of the special committee, said, “It is definitely a violation of the BC Act.”
The special committee refused to consider their application on the ground that hey had started construction work before they obtained approval, Kibria said. “They cannot carry on with the construction work until the matter of approval is resolved.”
According to sources, many retired high officials and influential people have been lobbying for lenient clearance of the matter.
Mubasshar Hussain, president of the Institute of Architects Bangladesh and a member of Nagar Unnayan Committee, said that the project officials should appeal formally to the Nagar Unnayan Committee.
“In any case, they have to apply for design approval in complete compliance with the latest building construction rules of 2008 and rectify any deviation whatsoever in the already-initiated construction work paying the penalty for violation of law.”
“How will the government enforce the building law in case of general people if such a big institution gets exemption,” he said.
President of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, Prof AK Azad Khan said they had started construction work before obtaining building approval because the 'long procedural time would lapse the project's foreign grant'.
“I admit that it has been a violation of law, but we did the work in good faith,” said Prof Khan. “We have complied with all the existing laws and building rules at all stages in undertaking the construction project.”
He said that Nagar Unnayan Committee and Rajuk would examine the project to ascertain its compliance and deviation as per the law. But he said that they have not appealed formally to the committee.
“We are carrying on with the work to finish the project in time,” he said.
The Tk 279million project includes a training institute and a 500-bed hospital. It has got a Dutch grant for the hospital component only.
During a visit to the project site on the premises of Bangladesh Housing Research Institute on January 6, this correspondent talked to site engineer Zakir Hossain. He said they started construction work in June last and 25 percent of the work has completed.
Replying to a question, another site engineer Siddiqur Rahman said the work is going on in full swing. Piling of the building had been done long back. Out of three proposed 12-storey buildings, work of two buildings is going on.