475 high-rises including 44 govt ones built without permission

Special Correspondent
The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha identified 475 high-rises, including 44 government buildings, built without any approval from Rajuk or other authorities such as city corporations and municipalities.
Owners of 431 private high-rises and officials responsible for the 44 government buildings could produce no document of approval as 24 teams Rajuk formed in April investigated 1,818 buildings having 11 floors or above in the capital and adjacent areas.
Housing minister SM Rezaul Karim ordered the investigation to find out deviations in the high-rises in Dhaka following the fire in FR Tower at Banani on March 28 that killed 27 people, including a Sri Lankan and a firefighter.
The investigation found that 1,136 buildings obtained permission from Rajuk while 207 got approval from other agencies.
Rajuk teams found that 309 high-rises were vertically expanded without permission while 738 buildings breached the rules on land use, including for keeping 5.5 feet setback.
It found that 1,155 high-rises lacked sufficient firefighting equipment such as hydrant, extinguishers, hose and alarm system.
The probe found sufficient emergency exits were found in 786 of the high-rises.
‘It’s the first and only authentic survey of high-rises in the capital,’ housing minister SM Rezaul Karim said at a briefing at the ministry on Wednesday.
‘Notice will be served against all the owners to explain the deviations and developing building without permission,’ he said.
‘The illegal parts of the buildings will be demolished if the owners fail to give satisfactory reply,’ he said.
The government buildings will face the same fate.