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Police suggest officials were ‘bribed’ by restaurant owners and managers during inspections
Published : 03 Mar 2024, 04:11 AM
After the deaths of 46 people in a blaze, Dhaka city development authority RAJUK has come under fire for allowing restaurants in Green Cozy Cottage on Bailey Road although the building was approved for commercial use by offices only.
Even the police hinted in a case over the incident that officials of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha looked the other way as irregularities took place in setting up restaurants in the building by taking bribes or under some other kind of influence.
In parliament on Saturday, former housing and public works minister SM Rezaul Karim lamented that no effective steps were taken after the deadly fire incidents at FR Tower in Banani in 2019 or the Hashem Food Factory in Narayanganj in 2021.
At that time, the ministry identified 1,300 buildings that had unauthorised floors, but the structures remained untouched. “It was not possible to demolish those buildings. It’s a kind of impunity,” Rezaul said.
The opposition Jatiya Party’s MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu said: “Where are the RAJUK officials in-charge of that area? A building was constructed for one purpose and it is being used for another. Now who will answer the questions after so many deaths? The government, its agencies and officials are responsible for this incident.”
Amin Helali, senior vice-president at the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, also pointed the finger at government agencies after visiting the Bailey Road building.
“Many documents are required to do business. No one can do business without following the law. What did the people with the responsibility to monitor these activities do?
“The regulatory agency has many inspectors to monitor these issues. What did they do? I think they have negligence,” said Helali.
Police have been granted permission to grill in custody four people for two days as part of an investigation into the deadly fire. The arrestees include three restaurant operators and a representative of Amin Mohammad Group, which constructed the building.
In the case against them, Ramna Police Station Sub-Inspector Mohammad Shahidul Islam said restaurant owners, managers and the accused ‘managed’ RAJUK officials during inspections.
Police, however, did not accuse any RAJUK official in the case.
Asked why no RAJUK official was named, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Additional Commissioner Kh Mahid Uddin said they would identify and bring to justice everyone responsible for the incident. "This is why RAJUK was mentioned.”
He also said officials of RAJUK and other government agencies will face arrest if they are found to be negligent.
Urban planner Iqbal Habib criticised police for not naming owners and government officials in the case.
He thinks the Fire Service and Civil Defence, along with RAJUK, the city corporation, utilities and other agencies, should also be investigated over the Bailey Road fire.
“Questions should be asked about what the Fire Service does, how RAJUK gave the certificates and how other agencies gave water and power connections following RAJUK’s certificates. How did the city corporation give trade licences? Extra taxes and bills for commercial spaces and restaurants were collected from the owners year after year,” said Iqbal.
RAJUK Chairman Anisur Rahman Miah could not be reached for comments on the allegations made against the agency because his phone was switched off.
A woman took the call on his land phone and said he was not at home.
RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, the recently appointed housing and public works minister, was also unreachable.
Md Ashraful Islam, chief town planner of RAJUK, tried to blame other agencies, saying RAJUK’s responsibilities end after construction.
“The owners deal with the city corporation, not RAJUK, after the construction,” he said.
“Trade licences require renewal every year. For power and water, owners need to contact the agencies every month. Establishment of restaurants could have been prevented during the issuance of trade licences,” he said.
Constructor Amin Mohammad Group also tried to evade liabilities, saying it handed over the building to the owners after the end of construction in 2015.
Asked why police arrested an official of the company, its spokesman Gazi Ahmad Ullah said the arrestee, Munsi Hamimul Alam Bipul, actually works at Amin Mohammad Property Management, a sister concern of the group.
The property management firm supplies manpower and this is how Bipul was tasked with managing Green Cozy Cottage as per the demand of its owners’ association, he said.
