Ageing HC building rings another alarm

A portion of the ceiling at the east block of the old High Court building that houses the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) collapsed early yesterday.

The incident happened only six months after a part of the ceiling at the building's west block had caved in in October last year.

Few years ago, similar incident occurred at the same block, an official said.

A portion of the false ceiling at the west block collapsed in July 2016 too.

Yesterday, this correspondent found pieces of concrete along with the false ceiling panels that collapsed and fell on the table and chair, breaking the table glass.

The official said the room is the office for Special Branch of Police entrusted with ensuring security of the tribunal. Usually, three inspectors sit there.

The incident happened in the night when nobody was there… otherwise, there could have been a fatal accident, said the official.

An SB official said the situation frightened him when he opened the door around 9:00am.

Contacted, tribunal's Registrar Proshanta Kumar Biswas said they contacted Public Works Department (PWD) and the officials concerned already visited the spot.

The officials assured of taking steps in this regard, said Proshanta, also the tribunal's spokesperson.

The government set up the ICT-1 in March 2010 and the ICT-2 in March 2012 at the east block and later allotted the west block to the chief prosecutor office.

According to documents, the building opposite Curzon Hall of Dhaka University was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century.

Portion of the room's ceiling, collapsed early yesterday. Photo: Collected

Around 80 people, including judges, sit at the east block while another 80 people, including prosecutors, sit at the chief prosecutor's office at west block, tribunal sources said.

Fearing collapse, Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arieff Tipoo requested the law ministry to shift his office in March 2014.

He made the same request on July 21, 2016 when a portion of the false ceiling collapsed.

The following day, Law Minister Anisul Huq had visited the spot and assured of taking necessary steps.

But, a portion of the ceiling of the chief prosecutor's office had collapsed again on October 15 last year.

Zead Al Malum, the prosecutor responsible for administrative affairs, said despite repeated appeals no visible steps were taken.