Cabinet in principle decides on Rangs Bhaban demolition

Trackback URL

Download PDF

The interim cabinet at a meeting on Saturday decided in principle to demolish Rangs Bhaban ‘illegally’ constructed on a proposed road at Bijoy Sarani in Dhaka.
The cabinet has deiced to demolish the Rangs building and the housing and public works ministry has been directed to take necessary steps in this regard, official sources said.
The cabinet in a meeting at the Chief Adviser’s Office, with the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, in the chair, made the decision.
In March, the housing and public works ministry made a proposal to the cabinet for the demolition of the 22-storey Rangs Bhaban as the authorities found the building was constructed illegally.
Talking with New Age, several advisers said Rangs Bhaban should be demolished and the government should not give in to any pressure from any quarters as it was built on a proposed road and without permission of the authorities concerned.
On February 27, the interim government formed a four-member committee, headed by joint works secretary Ayesha Begum, to find out facts of Rangs Bhaban.
The committee, which submitted its report on March 11, found the building was illegally constructed on the land of waqf estate and the Roads and Highways Department.
The report also said Rangs Bhaban was built in violation of the rules of the Civil Aviation Authority and ignoring a High Court order, said a source.
The government launched drives against illegal structures in Dhaka and elsewhere in January. It was alleged hectic lobbying was going on to save Rangs Bhaban and BGMEA Bhaban on Begunbari Canal from the demolition drives by the army-led joint forces.
The original plan for a 10-storey shopping-cum-office complex on the eastern side of Airport Road at Bijoy Sarani was submitted to Rajuk on December 5, 1988 for approval.
Rajuk approved the plan on July 6, 1989 without permission of the Civil Aviation Authority, a Rajuk official said.
The owners of the building later took an initiative to construct a 22-storey complex there and submitted a revised plan in January 1990.
Rajuk on May 15, 1990 approved the revised building plan without the permission of the Civil Aviation Authority, he said.
Because of objection put forth by the Civil Aviation Authority during the construction, Rajuk cancelled the plan of the building on June 24, 1999, the official said.
Following a writ petition, the High Court on May 2, 2000 declared illegal the decision on the cancellation of the building plan, he said.
Rajuk filed a petition in 2000 seeking permission to appeal against the High Court verdict and the Appellate Division accepted it for hearing.
Although the Appellate Division ordered not to construct the building till the disposal of the case, the owners continued the construction work and completed the 22-storey building, according to sources.

Leave a Reply