Rajuk workers started drilling the floor of the seventh floor of the building with only two drill hammers after breaking the internal structure.

Meanwhile, fresh disputes arose yesterday between Rajuk and the building authorities on marking the 'upper area' for demolishing.

Rajuk said they would demolish all the floors beyond 60 feet of the building while the building authorities said the Supreme Court ordered destruction of the upper 16 floors of the building.

Employees of Rangs Group at a press conference yesterday appealed to the government to reconsider the decision of demolishing most part of the Rangs Bhaban.

Several organisations that bought or rented floors of the building, said they would file case against Rangs Group for their huge loss.

At about 8:00am, around 150 workers started work to demolish the remaining internal structures like walls, false ceilings and furniture in presence of Rajuk supervisors and engineers. Structures like lintel and window were also removed.

At one stage the workers started drilling the floors with drill-hammers.

Talking about Rajuk's method of demolishing the building, Deputy Assistant Engineer of Rajuk Abul Kalam Azad said, "Primarily we will make 22 points (hole with 5 feet on each side) on each floor and then use a crane to pull the parts down. Then we will start breaking the columns from topmost floor to the down."

Rajuk Magistrate ASM Emdadud Dastagir told journalists that they have nearly completed demolishing all the internal walls of the building. "Drilling the floors of the building is going on."

A meeting at public works ministry today will decide which method to follow in demolishing the structure, he said.

Regarding the latest controversy about whether 60 feet or fifth floor, he said, "So far as I know, as the attorney general said, the court direction is to keep the lower 60 feet of the structure intact and demolish the remaining. On that consideration, we have to demolish some parts of the fifth floor too."

"As lawyers of Rangs Group objected to this, we will take the decision after getting certified copy of the court order," he added.

Employees of Rangs yesterday were seen removing materials of different floors including the fifth floor where Rankon Engineering is situated.

Many pieces of furniture and other materials were still seen piled up on different floors of the building while normal activities from first to fourth floor seemed paralysed due to the demolishing activities.

Some heavy equipment like air-conditioners were being drawn down with the help of crane.

As only two lifts of the building are running, it was hard for the workers to bring down things and heavy materials from upper floors to the ground.

RANGS STAFF'S PRESS BRIEFING
In a press conference at a Chinese restaurant near Rangs Bhaban officials and employees of Rangs Group yesterday said the government should reconsider the decision to demolish Rangs Bhaban.

Ratna Roy, secretary to the managing director of Rangs Group, said, "Still there are alternatives to demolishing the huge structure. A Y-shaped road can be constructed in the area. We appeal to save the structure even if Rangs has to make due compensation."

Although the office spaces up to the 5th floor were to be kept intact, authorities disconnected electricity, gas and water supply to those floors where the staff had to work all day long yesterday, Mahbuba Islam, Deputy Manager of RanksTel, told the press briefing.

"We went to the local police station to file a general diary seeking security for the valuables that remained in the six floors, but police refused to record it," she said.

Head of Enterprise Business Development at Ranks IT Ltd Zia Uddin Pasha said due to hasty moves of some Rajuk officials, thousands of subscribers and clients of Rangs Group had to suffer. This could be easily averted if three more days were given to shift their offices, he said.

"During the flood last year we donated a portion of our salary to help the destitute, but now we need donation as our job here has become uncertain," said Halim, who has been working with Rangs Group since 1989.