Hasan Mahmud Rubel :
Built over 150 years ago, the 54 no building at Shakhari Bazar of Old Dhaka now is in frail condition and may collapse at anytime. The three-storied building has no plester and emerges cracks in the walls while trees are grown in the rear walls.
Deep darkness wraps the whole building during load-shedding. The floors have balconies with no railings surrounding them. In this hazardous condition eight families live here. They have made balconies of their own wood and bamboo.
It’s not the end. Like this, there are about 120 time-worn buildings in this area where over 2500 people live here in high-risk.
When contacted, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK ) Chairman Jainul Abedin Bhuiyan told The New Nation on Thursday that, “A team will be sent as soon as possible to investigate the whole area and see the condition of the residents.”
Among the structures, the most risky houses are 2, 11, 24, 35, 65, 72 No. buildings of BK Das Lane, 38 no. building of Tipu Sultan Road, 44 building of Sarat Gupta Road, 48 building of North Brook Hall Road.
It is learnt that for protecting significant historical, aesthetic, and religious structure in the capital, RAJUK conserved city’s 94 archaic buildings and nine streets of Shakhari Bazar, Farashgonj and Sutrapur on February 12, 2009. That is why, no one can construct or reform or demolish the building of both side of the sealed lane without written permission from RAJUK.
Professor Dr Mohammad Selim of Jagannath University, a noted historian who has extensively worked on Dhaka said, it is very essential to conserve the areas of Old Dhaka, which is archaeologically important, especially, the archaic infrastructure of Shakhari Bazar.
“The declaration is substantial. But safeguarding of the inhabitants is also a must and local people should be replaced to another suitable place. The dwellers in this area, however, will be gainer if the avowal materializes,” Professor Dr Selim said.
The dwellers alleged that they could not carry out repairs to the buildings due to RAJUK declaration of the Shakhari Bazar area to be one of the country’s archaeological heritage sites.
“We are living in danger and cannot move as we have nowhere to go. We are very upset at RAJUK’s decision,” said Avi Debnath, a resident in this area.
‘As the city is prone to earthquake, a minor shiver would be enough to cause the old structures to fall, he added.
It is to be noted that the 81 No. building in the area was collapsed on June 9 in 2004 in which 19 people were killed.
Built over 150 years ago, the 54 no building at Shakhari Bazar of Old Dhaka now is in frail condition and may collapse at anytime. The three-storied building has no plester and emerges cracks in the walls while trees are grown in the rear walls.
Deep darkness wraps the whole building during load-shedding. The floors have balconies with no railings surrounding them. In this hazardous condition eight families live here. They have made balconies of their own wood and bamboo.
It’s not the end. Like this, there are about 120 time-worn buildings in this area where over 2500 people live here in high-risk.
When contacted, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK ) Chairman Jainul Abedin Bhuiyan told The New Nation on Thursday that, “A team will be sent as soon as possible to investigate the whole area and see the condition of the residents.”
Among the structures, the most risky houses are 2, 11, 24, 35, 65, 72 No. buildings of BK Das Lane, 38 no. building of Tipu Sultan Road, 44 building of Sarat Gupta Road, 48 building of North Brook Hall Road.
It is learnt that for protecting significant historical, aesthetic, and religious structure in the capital, RAJUK conserved city’s 94 archaic buildings and nine streets of Shakhari Bazar, Farashgonj and Sutrapur on February 12, 2009. That is why, no one can construct or reform or demolish the building of both side of the sealed lane without written permission from RAJUK.
Professor Dr Mohammad Selim of Jagannath University, a noted historian who has extensively worked on Dhaka said, it is very essential to conserve the areas of Old Dhaka, which is archaeologically important, especially, the archaic infrastructure of Shakhari Bazar.
“The declaration is substantial. But safeguarding of the inhabitants is also a must and local people should be replaced to another suitable place. The dwellers in this area, however, will be gainer if the avowal materializes,” Professor Dr Selim said.
The dwellers alleged that they could not carry out repairs to the buildings due to RAJUK declaration of the Shakhari Bazar area to be one of the country’s archaeological heritage sites.
“We are living in danger and cannot move as we have nowhere to go. We are very upset at RAJUK’s decision,” said Avi Debnath, a resident in this area.
‘As the city is prone to earthquake, a minor shiver would be enough to cause the old structures to fall, he added.
It is to be noted that the 81 No. building in the area was collapsed on June 9 in 2004 in which 19 people were killed.
