City corporation orders demolition of explosion-hit Shirin Mansion

Dhaka South City Corporation will take action if the owners fail to comply

Dhaka South City Corporation has ordered the demolition of Shirin Mansion, the building on Mirpur Road near Dhaka's Science Laboratory, which partially collapsed after an explosion that claimed three lives four days ago. 

The building was constructed without following any rules and regulations, DSCC Chief Engineer Saleh Ahmed said on Thursday. 

According to him, the building was nothing but a brick structure. “No building could be constructed like this, yet it was built in this manner," Saleh said. 

The building is currently in extreme risk of falling down, leaving no viable option but to completely demolish it. 

The DSCC had written to the building's owner requesting to demolish the three-storied building without delay. 

If the owner fails to comply with the order, he warned that “action will be taken according to the law". 

Officials of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha or RAJUK, the development authority of Dhaka city, said they could not contact the owner of the building as he lives abroad. 

A caretaker manages the property, said Rangan Mondol, a spokesman for the RAJUK. 

Efforts were made to reach the owner after the incident, but they were unsuccessful in making contact, Rangan said. 

RAJUK officials are also working on the building where a blast killed at least 22 people in Old Dhaka’s Siddiq Bazar. 

Two days prior to the Siddique Bazar building blast, around 10:52 am on Sunday, an explosion on the second floor of Shirin Mansion caused the partial collapse of the building's wall and damage to a nearby building, leaving at least three people dead and to 30-40 others injured. 

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq on Sunday said the blast might be an accident. 

There has been no indication of sabotage in the investigations opened by the law enforcers and the fire service. 

The DSCC put up a sign declaring the structure risky. 

Shafiqul Islam, chief of New Market Police Station, said on Thursday that police took charge of the building and were not allowing anyone to go inside. 

Police have filed a case citing deaths due to negligence. No one was named in the case. 

Shafiqul said police contacted the city corporation, Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Titas Gas and the fire service for their reports on the incident as part of the investigation.