Ctg builders continue to flout building code

Publication Date: 25 April, 2016
Media: The Independent

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At least 70 per cent buildings in Chittagong city are defective in some way and these buildings were built in violation of earthquake resistance codes, according to a survey conducted by Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) in the last five months.

“The major drawback is that in these 70% buildings, the building owners have violated 80% rules during construction,” said Shainul Islam Khan, Chief City Planner of CDA. “The owners of the buildings not only flout the design approved by CDA but also build buildings that are faulty. We are taking action against the errant building owners as per law.”

Recently, CDA conducted a survey to find out which structures were built, defying the designs of the CDA. In the first phase of the survey, CDA examined structures along 19 main streets of the city.

In the meantime, CDA has completed surveys on over 20,000 buildings besides seven main streets of the city and found 70% of the buildings defective. However, city planners are blaming improper vigilance of CDA. They said that due to the lack of proper vigilance by CDA, building owners have built these structure defying building codes.
As per rule, to build any structure in the city, the building needs approval of the design of the structure from CDA.
It is alleged that though CDA approved of designs, no building owner follow the approved design.
City planners alleged that CDA does not keep an eye on the construction, which is why building owners dare to defy the CDA designs. As CDA doesn’t have any system of vigilance, the common people are taking advantage. “The CDA is supposed to keep vigilance during the construction of a structure, but they don’t. As a result, building owners violate the building codes and laws,” said City Planner, Architect Ashik Imran. “It is the duty of CDA to check whether construction is being done according to CDA’s approved deigns or not,” said Engineer Delowar Mazumder, former President, Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh, Chittagong Unit.

CDA Chairman Abdus Salam told The Independent, “A team has started working to find out defective buildings, buildings built defying the building codes and CDA’s designs and whether the structures occupied pavements and canals.

After completing the survey, action will be taken against the faulty buildings.”
In a survey conducted in 2011 by the Institute of Earthquake Engineering Research under Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), it was found that a total of 142,000 buildings, out of 182,000, are vulnerable to earthquakes. The survey also said that mass destruction would take place in the event of an 8.5 magnitude earthquake in Chittagong city.
“Now the number of total buildings in the port city might be over 200,000, but earthquake vulnerability remains the same.

The authority should check the new buildings and find out whether the earthquake resistant code was taken into consideration during construction or not. A project should be launched to rectify the old buildings,” said Professor Dr Jahangir Alam, Vice-Chancellor of CUET.