Drama over demolition
As the Rajuk bulldozer began to roll towards Alta Plaza at Dhanmondi to knock down its ground floor designated for car parking space, Salahuddin Matin -- owner of the plaza -- dashed out, made an eye contact with the driver and gestured him to go away.
He then went over to machine man of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) Belal and whispered something into his ear.
Belal assured him and asked the driver of bulldozer to move away from the spot.
The entire episode appeared to be an indication of 'underhand dealings' between the owner of Alta Plaza and a section of Rajuk staff.
As Rajuk inspectors Nazrul Alam, Nazrul Islam and authorised officer Aminur Rahman Suman arrived at the scene, Matin told them he didn't have any copy of the design of the building.
He said his elder brother had taken the building's plan abroad and showed an open plot behind the plaza as car parking space. Rajuk officials seemed to be convinced.
Rajuk officials accepted the open plot as the car parking space despite a huge signboard for a multi-story building planted there that reads Multi Plan Shining Star, which is awaiting construction.
The team knocked down a portion of the boundary wall and almost wrapped up the demolition drive.
Belal and Rajuk Chief Inspector Nazrul Alam were seen frantically active to cover up illegal structures in presence of other officials.
At this stage, the matter was pointed out to Rajuk magistrate Rokon-Ud-Dowla. He got furious and ordered the Rajuk officials to bring the bulldozer back and put pressure on the building owner to produce the building plan.
As the Rajuk bulldozer started knocking down Helvetia fast food shop at the plaza, the building owner came out with a plan approved in February 2005, which showed that there is no provision for shops on the ground floor.
Following the strict order of the magistrate, Rajuk bulldozer flattened parts of at least ten shops.
Answering to why they were sparing the unauthorised shops, Nazrul Alam said, “Because the owner said he had no design of the building.”
Suman said, “The building plan Matin produced was for the entire building to be built at the plot.”
The entire ground floor of Alta plaza on the Mirpur road was designated for car parking space but the owner had set up a fast food shop and more than a dozen other shops there.
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