42 Risky Buildings: Rajuk evacuation move going nowhere

It appears the evacuation notice handed out to 41 risky buildings by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) on March 13 was not well-thought-out.

The notice called for vacating the structures within seven days and their demolition in three months -- raising questions about its feasibility.

In the two weeks since it was issued, none vacated the structures, which belong to eight government and autonomous bodies in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj.

And the absence of a relocation option by Rajuk has been blamed for the inaction, The Daily Star has learnt from the occupants.

Take the case of Dhaka Collegiate School in old Dhaka. Three of the buildings on its campus used for labs, classrooms and hall rooms have been identified as risky by Rajuk between 2021-2022 under an urban resilience project.

But the school authority has no option to relocate the functions of the three buildings.

"It will be really tough for us to vacate those buildings without any alternatives," said its headmaster Arifur Rahman, adding that the institute is yet to receive the notice.

Ahmeduzzaman, head clerk of Kabi Nazrul Government College, echoed the same.

"We do not have another place to run our academic activities. Besides, it is a college established way back in 1874 and needs to be protected as heritage," he said.

Three buildings of Jahangirnagar University have been identified as risky and the university authorities need at least six months to vacate those, according to Abdus Salam Md Sharif, its chief engineer.

"But before demolition, we need to know about the fund for a new building, which will be required for smooth academic activities," he said, adding that the Rajuk notice also called for retrofitting of 10 other buildings of the university.

Helal Uddin Patowari, the chief engineer of Jagannath University, acknowledged receiving a letter from Rajuk on March 15; but the letter did not mention the name of the buildings.

Four buildings of the university have been identified as risky. "We have nowhere to relocate the labs and classrooms," Patowari said.

Three buildings of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) campus have been identified as risky by Rajuk. Of them, the 17-storey D Block building was built in 2011.

"How can a building that was constructed by the Public Works Department only 10 years ago be vulnerable?" said a high official of BSMMU on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak with media.

He said that they had retrofitted one of the two other buildings constructed in the 1950s in 2005.

"None of the buildings is vulnerable," he said.

Delwar Hossain Mojumder, the chief engineer of the Education Engineering Department, said they have received a letter regarding the matter and that Rajuk incorrectly identified them as the authority for 30 of the school buildings.

The EED wrote to Rajuk saying that they only built two of the buildings and those have been handed over to the school authorities.

"Many of the buildings are not so vulnerable that immediate demolition is required. If an earthquake of magnitude 7 hits, then that is a different case."

Mojumder too spoke for relocation first.

"All the buildings are old and there is no doubt about it," said Adil Mohammad Khan, a faculty member of Jahangirnagar University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning.

There are two options here: either protect those by retrofitting or demolish those.

"Since demolition is a major decision, relevant authorities should do a second assessment before carrying out Rajuk's order."

If both assessments say the same thing, then the buildings would have to be vacated and eventually demolished, said Khan, also a former general secretary of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners.

The assessments were done using sophisticated equipment and anyone concerned could seek the opinion of a third party, said Abdul Latif Helaly, who was the director of the project that surveyed 3,252 structures and identified 42 as risky.

Of the 42 structures, only one has been taken down so far.

Asked about such a short deadline, Helaly said: "We have informed them about the risk and now it is up to the authorities concerned to take steps to prevent any accident."

Asked about who would fund the demolition, he said the educational institutes or hospitals should ask their parent ministries.

"We may construct new buildings subject to getting another project funding from the World Bank. But it might take a long time."

In that case, retrofitting could be done.

"But first and foremost, evacuation is a must for safety," Helaly added.

On March 11, Anisur Rahman Mia, chairman of Rajuk, said they would take steps to demolish the buildings as they are in a precarious state and are at risk of collapsing and causing casualties.

He said all institutions that own the risky buildings have received the Rajuk notice. "We have the acknowledgement receipts."