Building develops cracks within a year of inauguration

Authorities of recently erected Juri Upazila Health Complex, built on wetland, are concealing huge cracks on the walls of the building with plaster and paint. 

Within a year of its inauguration, the four-storied building on five acres of land in Bachirpur area of Moulvibazar’s Juri upazila adjacent to the Moulvibazar-Chandagram regional highway developed huge cracks at the base of the walls on the ground floor.

Visiting the health complex on August 15, this correspondent saw the cracks on the ground floor, where outdoor and emergency patients are treated. During a second visit, a week later, workers were seen covering the cracks with plaster and paint. 

A worker is seen covering the cracks with paint. Photo: Star

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Samarjit Singh said he had informed the civil surgeon in writing about the cracks.

The Public Health Engineering Department is responsible for construction and maintenance of the building inaugurated by the health minister on September 4, 2018, an official of the health complex informed.

It was built by a contractor named ‘S Ali and Sons’ in Dhaka spending Tk 20 crore approximately, he added.

When contacted, Abu Taher, the manager of S Ali and Sons, said, they started the construction in 2016 and handed over the building on December 23, 2017.

The building was constructed by filling up lowland, he said, adding that the cracks occurred because the ground below the building has sunk.

“We only followed our work order. No corruption or embezzlement took place in this project,” he claimed, asserting that the cracks appearing on the walls won’t cause any major problem.

Shafiqul Islam Pathan, executive engineer of Public Health Engineering Department in Moulvibazar, said cracks may develop when plaster falls off.

“It will not create any damage for the building and will not make the health complex risky,” he said.

When the contractor was informed, he sent his workers to repair the cracks, Shafiqul added.

When asked why the building was erected on wetland, he said, it is difficult to find a minimum of four acres of land needed for a health complex in one plot.  So, the wetland was filled up with eight to nine feet of earth.

Besides, the decision of land acquisition is taken by higher authorities, he added.

Shafiqul claimed that all components of construction were followed in erecting the health complex. 

Engineer Kamruzzaman, president of Institute of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh, Kulaura upazila unit, said cracks can appear in buildings either because of design or construction fault.

“The cracks in this case may have appeared because of design fault,” he said, adding that the building would become risky during earthquakes.

Kamruzzaman also said ad hoc repair by the contractor won’t provide any permanent solution. Meanwhile, patients coming to the health complex have expressed their concern about the cracks.

Lukman Mia, who came to the complex for treatment, said many people are trying to stay away from the parts of the building with cracks.