Flyover probe finds neglect for public security

Neglect for public security during construction of Bahaddarhat flyover by the builders and supervising Chittagong Development Authority was responsible for the death of 13 people in the girder collapse on Nov 24, reveals an inquiry.

The committee the Chittagong district administration had formed to probe the collapse of three girders from the flyover submitted its report on Friday.

Chittagong's Additional District Commissioner (Tax) Khaled Mahmud Chowdhury told bdnews24.com that the report was filed in the evening.

He said there was lack of coordination among the all three bodies –- the contracting and consulting firms and CDA – involved in building the first-ever flyover at the port city were equally negligent about ensuring security measures in the flyover construction.

Technical shortfall was there too, Chowdhury added.

According to him, the committee recommended 12 measures, including construction of the flyover overseen by a panel of experts, for completing the work.

This is the first report submitted on the incident. The CDA and Ministry of Housing and Public Works also launched separate investigations.

Supervised by the CDA, construction of the 1.4 kilometre long flyover began on Dec 1 at an estimated cost of at Tk 1.06 billion.

Parisa Enterprise and Meer Akter Enterprise were constructing the flyover.

A rickshaw-puller was injured on Jun 29 this year after a girder of the flyover fell on him.