Preventing future high-rise building disasters

The probe committee's findings in the aftermath of the F.R. Tower tragedy presented to the parliamentary committee have raised questions about the several additional floors constructed on top of those approved by Rajuk. The Rajuk chairman has described the situation as "frightening", and we would like to know what precisely Rajuk is going to do about it. Two issues have to be addressed. Firstly, the faulty building itself is still standing, posing a grave danger to people. Some corrective measures have to be taken immediately to render it safe.

Secondly, the question of holding to account those who allowed this illegal construction in the first place. Rajuk has to determine the extent of dereliction of duty of those involved in the process. In this regard, there are the owners and those responsible for planning, drawing and construction of the building. Evidently, they had resorted to all sorts of misrepresentation of facts, subterfuge and falsehoods in the whole process. On the other hand, there is Rajuk's role itself. The buck stops with Rajuk. We believe that without the connivance of some corrupt officials, such massive anomalies could not have taken place. The chairman's mere statement of not knowing how these plans were approved does not sit well with the public.

There is a cabal of corrupt officials inside Rajuk, and we now have a building standing tall with all the shortcomings that can spell disaster at any time. It is high time the public works ministry, which governs over Rajuk, set specific engineering tasks that Rajuk must undertake in respect of FR Tower and many more like it. But given the situation, we believe that the prime minister's secretariat needs to take the lead in enunciating the necessary measures regarding FR Tower.