Commercial Use of Basements
A massive risk for residents
Building owners who put their basements up for commercial use, violating the approved plans, not only contribute to reduced parking spaces but also severe risks of accident.
Experts said airtight basements needed for commercial use are prone to fires and explosions.
"If anyone uses the basement, they will have to keep a proper ventilation system to keep the place risk-free," said Prof Mehedi Ahmed Ansary of Buet.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), the authority that regulates buildings under their 1,528-square kilometre jurisdiction in the capital, has no specific data on the buildings that violate their approved plans. No action has been taken so far for the high-rises guilty of the violation.
Following the fire in Banani's FR Tower in 2019, Rajuk, in April that year, carried out a field survey of high-rise buildings that are above 10 floors. The survey found that 475 buildings have been constructed without Rajuk's approval. The rest 1,343 expanded vertically or horizontally, violating the approved plan.
The survey team also found 1,34,925 out of 2,04,106 surveyed buildings faulty, said a Rajuk official.
After getting Rajuk's approval, building owners often stray from the guidelines during the construction phase. The authorities responsible for regulating buildings during and after construction do not play their role properly. Residents have to bear the cost of their inefficacy.
After the explosion at Siddikbazar on Tuesday, Rajuk has formed eight committees in eight zones under its jurisdiction.
The committees will find out the presence of markets or commercial establishments in basements of buildings in their respective area and asses the risks and legality of such operations, said Tonmoy Das, member (development control) at Rajuk.
He said they will collect data and check supporting papers of their approvals from the building authorities.
"We will provide a building owner seven additional days if they fail to submit legal documents supporting the use of the establishments. We will decide on the building's fate after collecting all the documents," he added.
A meeting of Nagar Unnyan Committee of Rajuk will be held today in this regard at Osmani auditorium. It will be headed by Kazi Wasi Uddin, secretary of the housing and public works ministry, Tonmoy informed.
"We will prepare our working plan after the committee's decision," he added.
When asked about Rajuk's survey on high-rise buildings in 2019, Tonmoy said they are taking action upon finding any violation.
"It is also difficult for us to assess all the buildings in their entirety, as that would account for 26 lakh structures. We will discuss the issue in our meeting," he added.
Prof Adil Mohammad Khan, executive director of Institute for Planning and Development, said constructing any kind of commercial establishment in basements is totally prohibited.
"The number of buildings violating this guideline is unfortunately great," he said.
Adil, also former general secretary of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), said Rajuk remains inactive despite being aware of the issue.
"Rajuk should have found out about the violations during their regular visits and taken regular action accordingly," he added.
BIP President Fazle Reza Sumon said after getting Rajuk's approval, building owners often stray from the guidelines during the construction phase.
"The authorities responsible for regulating buildings during and after construction do not play their role properly. Residents have to bear the cost of their inefficacy," he said.
He also mentioned that the building that came under fire in Siddikbazar was a commercial one. "But the use of its basement for commercial purposes was not approved."
"The approval process is not faulty. It's the lack of monitoring and supervision of the buildings or high-rises during and after the construction phase that can result in accidents. The liability of such incidents falls on the authorities concerned," he added.