Gawsia Twin Peak in Dhanmondi exceeds authorised height by 40 feet, restaurants not permitted

Gawsia Developers Limited rented the floors out to restaurants without RAJUK’s permission - a revelation that came after deadly Green Cozy Cottage fire

Gawsia Twin Peak on Sat Masjid Road in Dhanmondi is 40 feet taller than the authorised height and does not have permission to be used as restaurants, a revelation that has come after the deadly restaurant building fire on Bailey Road.

Still, the 14-storey building has 15 restaurants, besides shops and two private offices, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha said after inspecting the structure on Sunday.

Its occupancy type is F-1, meaning it can house offices, not restaurants, according to M Hamidul Islam, director of the capital development authority’s zone-5.

After the deaths of 46 people in the Bailey Road fire last week, Gawsia Twin Peak’s architect Mustapha Khalid Palash took to Facebook to alert people to the dangers of dining in the restaurants situated in the building.

He alleged constructor Gawsia Developers Limited does not use the Twin Peak as per his design.

Green Cozy Cottage, the gutted building on Bailey Road, was also authorised as an office building, but the owners rented out the floors to restaurants.

The eateries received trade licences from the city corporation. RAJUK said the same thing happened to Gawsia Twin Peak, which also got safety clearances from the Fire Service and Civil Defence, and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments.

Ashraful Islam, chief town planner of RAJUK, however, pointed out that architect Khalid should have informed the agency by filling up a form following the rules.

“It’s the ethical duty of the architect to inform us if a building is not constructed in line with the plan,” he said. “However, we thank him because he posted it on social media.”

Ashraful also said they were yet to decide what action Gawsia Twin Peak would face for the irregularities.