A mobile team of the Chittagong Development Authority on Monday sealed off three risky buildings of Agrabad Excess Road in the city and fined their owners Tk 50,000 each.
The team conducted the drive at Agrabad, Shantibag and Halishahar Residential areas.
CDA deputy chief town planner Sarwar Uddin Ahmed told New Age that they sealed off the risky buildings to avoid casualties in case of any collapse incident.
‘We have also fined the owners of the buildings and asked them to demolish the structures,’ said Sarwar, adding that the drives would continue in the city.
‘The buildings were being used for residential and commercial purposes,’ said the deputy chief town planner.
‘A monitoring cell has also been formed by the CDA, with an executive magistrate and two authorised officers, for identifying risky buildings erected defying layout plan,’ said Sawrar, adding that anyone could lodge complaint with the cell regarding faulty or risky buildings of the city.
Earlier, Chittagong district administration on Saturday sealed off Zex Complex, a three-storey building located at Agrabad, declaring it unsafe for use. Zex Complex housed a garment factory, three insurance offices and 32 different shops.
Meanwhile, the businessmen of the complex protested at the sealing off by forming a human chain and holding a rally on the complex premises on Monday.
The employees and owners’ of different shops of the complex participated in the rally.
They alleged that the complex was sealed off without any prior notice declaring it unsafe for use. The shops owners’ said they would incur a huge if the complex was sealed off.
They also demanded a proper investigation into the extent of risk of the complex.
The Chittagong City Corporation on Sunday began demolishing Shebak Colony, a dilapidated and risky building inhabited by cleaners of the corporation, at Patharghata area under Kotwali police station in the port city.
-With New Age input
