A plane preparing to land at Zia International Airport flies over the high-rise buildings at Baunia near Uttara.Photo: Syed Zakir HossainOver 300 buildings including high-rises have been constructed in violation of the country's aviation rules around the Zia International Airport (ZIA) and Tejgaon Airport making take-off and landing of planes risky.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in 2007 issued notices to the owners of over 100 buildings including 45 high-rises asking them to knock down the illegal portions of the buildings.
But no further progress was made in this regard as the government formed a committee to review the list of the illegal structures the same year.
An official of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said they along with three other organisations -- the Survey of Bangladesh, Rajuk, REHAB -- and the Air Force in April 2008 identified 318 structures including high-rises that had been constructed violating CAAB rules.
Of those, 72 buildings including 10 high-rises are around ZIA and 247 around Tejgaon Airport while 20 structures are risky for both the airports, said the CAAB official.
The committee formed to review the list submitted its report to the civil aviation ministry during the tenure of the last caretaker government with suggestion for not constructing the second runway at ZIA.
The report said if the second runway is constructed, a large number of structures have to be knocked down, said an official of the housing and public works ministry.
However, the CAAB representatives in the committee disagreed, he said.
Ministry sources said another committee might be formed in this regard.
Rajuk in 2005 identified 111 structures including 46 high-rises and took initiative to demolish 17 buildings in August, 2005. But eight of them could not be knocked down due to legal tangles.
Rajuk could not demolish the illegal portions of the other structures as the owners of many of the 111 buildings obtained stay order against the drive from the High Court, said a Rajuk official.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister GM Quader said they have already requested the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to knock down the upper portion of the structures that were constructed violating the CAAB rules.
Now it is their responsibility to knock down those, he said.
The minister said if the authorities concerned don't take action they would take up the matter to the top level of the government.
State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan said they would take necessary steps in this regard as per the rules.
"We have already given instructions to all the agencies concerned under the ministry to do their tasks following the rules strictly," he said.
According to the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the height of structures is restricted to a certain level around the airport to prevent accidents and ensure smooth operation of flights, said CAAB officials.
They said every building in the city should be built on receipt of clearance from the CAAB. Rajuk should not approve any construction plan without its clearance.
Rajuk officials claimed that they have never approved any construction plan without CAAB's clearance.
Owners of high-rise structures often violate the Rajuk-approved plan after receiving permission. If Rajuk tries to take action against them they take up the matter to the court to delay the process, said a Rajuk official.
Illegal structures at Baunia on the northern side of the only runway at ZIA are creating problems for flight operation and spoiled the scope for constructing a parallel runway shown in ZIA's master plan, CAAB sources said.
If construction of the second runway at ZIA is taken into consideration, the number of structures non-compliant to the CAAB rules would be between 2000 and 3000.
According to the ICAO regulations, an area of 3,000 feet from each end of a runway should be considered 'zero-height' area and from that point only one foot of height is allowed for each 50 feet of distance till 10,500 feet from both ends of the runway.
But no structure should cross a height of 150 feet within the area, say the regulations.
Monday, June 15, 2009 05:34 AM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
It's a very silly and a serious question at the same time. If Rajuk asked owners to knock the buildings down and the owners didn't , then what happened after that? Don't we have police , lawyers, governments?
Monday, June 15, 2009 08:27 AM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
This appears from this news, in Bangladesh , if some one has influence , he or she can do whatever they like ignoring the law of the country and this report is one of the unique example of such behaviors.
It is true , only the concerned person is not responsible, the respective government departments responsible for building approval, monitoring , supervision of the construction works are equally responsible and accountable for such unauthorized acts. Lack of coordination and cooperation between these agencies are the main obstacles to this effect and thence the people take the advantage of moving forward by disrespecting the laws, moreover, the implementations of laws by these various concerned departments are also the cause of such irregularities.
It can easily be compared with those who have been encroaching and grabbing rivers , lands and these people are grabbing sky by moving upwards of their respective building being constructed at the restricted zone where limitations are imposed to go up to a certain level.
The government and other concerning authorities should take immediate steps to demolish the added part immediately ensuring risk free air aviation, flying, easy taking off and landing of aircraft.
Excellent reporting , thanks to the Daily Star
Monday, June 15, 2009 10:06 AM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
Who is the guilty party? Needs to be found 1st. There is nothing illegal in Bangladesh. I am sure all the residents who have bought lands and erected the six storied buildings are well with in Rajuk's guideline. This air port needs to be reallocated on the other side of buriganga river (This river is the only river in Bangladesh which has 03 bridges) with all modern facilities available including shuttle train and safe bus service for the airport/city commuters.
Before the government even tries to bring down the So-called illegal structures, they should keep the purse ready to compensate the residential owners.
Monday, June 15, 2009 11:14 AM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
We constructed our house at Uttara Model Town with permission from RAJUK and other authorities. Now it is fully illegal to ask us to demolish our building. We spend our whole life saving to construct this house and billion of taka bank loan invested here.So what will be happen of this bank loan and where we live? So it is better according to committe report don't construct second run way at ZIA. For our good future and for extension according to committee report and according to previous Awami League govt. decision another Airport should be constructed at Trisal, mymenshing.Because now ZIA is too small.
Monday, June 15, 2009 11:15 AM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
Our main problem here lies with the delay of any concrete implementation of collective benefits leaving the stray and respective benefits. human by nature are selfish to see his/her own benefits for short term frame unheeding the broader benefits of mass people for long term frame. our govt institutions and its law making authority must see the total constructive benefits for the country and its people in changing any stray or personal benefits by implementing any scheme for the country. we see behind our any mass constructive project benefited to the whole country our some vested group give values to their own benefits staying with their respective political groups which resulted in delay of any constructive works or cancel. also our govt concerned authority and its bureaucratic people just stay non-functional in such implementation jobs. a mass and collective changes for the country must be done without seeing its political benefits but for benefits of whole nation. we should see and need to judge the jobs of developed country so far they do their any beneficiary works keeping in view of national interest.
so its our govt or political problem behind any of our good job in our country in the root of any bad works , delay works or non-functional works , no doubt
with regards
nasrat/chittagong
============
Monday, June 15, 2009 01:01 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
The CAAB and RAJUk need to establish where the flight paths will be before knocking buildings they approved down. Not sure why Tejgaon airport is brought up every year, it is pretty much shut down! It should be sold off as land. Zia also needs to be moved out and modernised like KL, Bangkok and other cities have done. If RAJUK has given permissions to any of these buildings, whether they are over the limit or not, they should not ask to have them knocked down as they are then legal. It is clear that they gave some permissions where they perhaps should not have but this is their own fault and it is too late for them. In a country where land is scarce we have to build up, the airport should not interfere with the economy, it should be there to support it. RAJUK needs to clean up its own house and set proper rules and enforce them before pointing the fingers at others.
Monday, June 15, 2009 01:03 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
No plane has flown into a building so far, foreign cities manage to have airports near tall buildings, why are we so worried? We hardly have any large buildings in Dhaka in comparison. RAJUK should concentrate on clarifying and enforcing rules and saving our water bodies instead of bringing up silly old arguments every year to deflect attention from their own corruption. If any building does not have RAJUK approval, give them a hefty fine costing more than approval and in future do not let it happen again.
Monday, June 15, 2009 01:18 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
Bangladesh Govt should take a step .we have to find out the culprit behind of this .
Monday, June 15, 2009 01:33 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
The law of the country should apply for the sake of mass people not for those law breakers. Illegal structure should be demolished at any cost.
Monday, June 15, 2009 01:35 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
There is no co-operation between government authorities. Now it is fully illegal to demolish their building. who is responsible for the fault? I have land on airport road & Tongi; I want to be clear about government views before build my house there.
Government should circular about his master plan and implement accordingly. It should be beneficial for both parties.
Monday, June 15, 2009 02:26 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
My questionis why everybody preaching for demolishing and talking about law and police. What they were doing when this building being under construction? I mean you cannot let an elephant pass and then hold the tail. Now demolishing such high building is nothing but the spoil of national wealth and potential. Rather such ineffective Rajuk or CAAb should be abolished in my opinion.
Monday, June 15, 2009 06:53 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
Thanks all for their valuable comments. I think I can add something here.
I think Govt. should do exactly what is appropriate for our people. JUST DEMOLISH THE ILLEGAL PART OF THE HIGH RISE. So that in future people think twice before they build something against the law.
Monday, June 15, 2009 08:39 PM GMT+06:00 (230 weeks ago)
01. Shifting vision/creed for the wellbeing of Bangladesh
02. Be honest and patriot/loyalist/nationalist of our country
03. Stop politicise the fact for own/political benefit
04. Commit yourself for the development of the country
05. Restructure the Govt. organization in all levels to eliminate corruptions- i.e. police, Rajuk, Secretariat which includes all the ministries, all semi and fully Govt. organizations.
06. Make ACC and Justice Systems as independent body and do not use them for your own benefit.
07. Also, make all the loosing Govt. concerns into private to make it competitive and profitable.
08. Do everything for the well being of our nation not for your advantage
09. Reward honest, skilled and competitive people in the politics and terminate all the bad apples.