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Published : 14 Dec 2023, 01:35 AM
The High Court has ordered the demolition of a shopping centre located in Dhaka's Gulshan-1 after the owners failed to ensure fire safety in the building.
Justice Md Atabullah's bench issued a directive to Dhaka North City Corporation, the capital development authority and others on Tuesday to implement the demolition order within 30 days.
Back in July, two companies named 'Bani Chitra' and 'Chalchchitra' filed a writ petition seeking demolition orders for the shopping mall, lawyer Mostak Ahmed Chowdhury said on Wednesday.
A ruling was also issued for the preliminary hearing of the petition on that day.
On May 28, Fire Service and Civil Defence officials visited the shopping centre and found 10 fire hazards in the building.
Later, the building owners were instructed to mend the fire safety issues of the market housing 723 shops.
The fire service reported back, citing that the mall owners had overlooked the orders.
The fire service in 2018 declared the shopping centre 'unfit for use' after a devastating fire incident raged through the DNCC Market next to the shopping centre in 2017. They revisited the building in 2021 and confirmed that it was unfit.
After promising to move out after Eid this year, some shop owners refused to leave.
The city corporation then sealed off the building in July, sparking protests by traders who also clashed with police.
The city corporation said a Tk 2 billion fund was raised to compensate the traders in the building, but some traders started the protests even after taking the money.
