ICT prosecution writes again to shift office
A portion of the false ceiling of the old High Court building (west block), where the prosecution office is situated, collapsed yesterday morning, raising concern among the prosecutors.
Following the incident, the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal once again wrote the law ministry to shift the office from the building immediately, as the century-old “dilapidated building is at the risk of collapse”.
Ghulam Arieff Tipoo made the request yesterday, Zead Al Malum, the prosecutor taking care of the administrative affairs, told The Daily Star. “Same request was made on March 4, 2014, but to no avail,” He added.
A portion of the false ceiling fell down in early morning while a second portion around 10:15am, Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman said. “I got frightened as the [false] ceiling fell down immediately after I passed the area.”
The government has set up the Tribunal-1 in March 2010 and the Tribunal-2 in March 2012 in the eastern block of the old High Court building and later allotted the western block to the prosecution.
The building, standing opposite the Curzon Hall of Dhaka University, was constructed in the beginning of the 20th century, documents say.
Currently, more than 80 people including 20 prosecutors sit at the Chief Prosecutor Office, Prosecutor Hrishikesh Saha, also the drawing and disbursing officer of the office, said. “We are not feeling secured due to the condition of the building,” he added.
“Our lives are now at risk. The authorities should do something immediately regarding our relocation from this building,” said another prosecutor Tureen Afroz.
In the letter written to the law ministry yesterday, the chief prosecutor said that the two-storey building of the western block is “so dilapidated” that plasters of the ceiling have started to fall.
“Today [Thursday], the total false ceiling of the first floor of the old High Court building collapsed. There is a possibility that the building may collapse anytime like the Rana Plaza, causing causalities and damage of properties,” the letter read.
“The public works department and experts think that this building can no longer be used. I personally also think so....So, the office should be relocated from the risky building as soon as possible,” the letter added.
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