Mustafizur Rahman
The Awami League-led government is likely to go ahead with the much-talked about Hatirjheel development project without affecting the BGMEA Bhaban, constructed ‘illegally’ on the wetland in the city. ‘We must go ahead with the project which includes construction of lakes, waterways and walkways to ease traffic congestion and remove water-logging – major concerns of the people of the capital…But nothing will be done that causes resentment in any quarters,’ state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan told New Age at his office Thursday.
He said prime minister Sheikh Hasina wanted to see that the project was implemented in time with a minimum number of people being affected.
The interim administration of Fakhruddin Ahmed, which started the development project in July, 2007, left the fate of the BGMEA Bhaban to the decision of the elected government although the military-controlled administration had demolished the city’s 22-storey Rangs Bhaban, which was also constructed illegally.
The project, scheduled to be completed by June, 2010, aims at easing the city’s perennial traffic congestion by connecting the east and west sides of the capital.
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was apprised of the progress of work in the Hatirjheel development project at the cabinet division on Wednesday.
The state minister, however, said that the government would review whether the authorities could go ahead with the project without affecting the BGMEA Bhaban since technology, as he said, offered many options for implementing the project.
Complications in land acquisition and delay in taking a concrete decision on the high-rise building in the Hatirjheel area were identified as major impediments to implementing the development project, said an official involved in the project.
‘The prime minister expressed her satisfaction with the progress in the development work. But no directive was issued from the meeting about the BGMEA building,’ he told New Age.
Acquisition of around 300 acres of land, including that of the headquarters of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, for the Hatirjheel project was almost complete, the official added.
According to a survey conducted for implementation of the project, the BGMEA Bhaban, built in violation of the Wetland Protection Act 2000, would harm the project. Meanwhile, the BGMEA authorities have sold out most of the floors of the building to different companies.
The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology was earlier assigned to conduct the survey and to recommend which buildings should be demolished to implement the Hatirjheel integrated development project.
An official from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha said the building plan for the 15-storey BGMEA Bhaban, the construction of which was completed in 2006, did not have clearance from the city development authorities.
The 1,480-crore Hatirjheel development project would cover around 250 acres of land for construction of 10 km roads around the lake from Panthapath to the Rampura bridge, connecting the existing thoroughfares in the area. The project would also require demolition of around 250 structures in the area. The LGRD ministry will implement the road-construction project and the Rajuk will reclaim the lake while the water and sewerage authority will look after its drainage, according to the project proposal.
BGMEA officials claimed that they had obtained the approval of the building on January 21, 2004 on condition that a beautiful bridge would be constructed adjacent to the high rise.
‘We have already paid Rajuk Tk 12 crore as fine for construction of the building,’ BGMEA president Anwarul-Ul Alam Chowdhury told New Age.
‘The government will consider all aspects including the image of the country before taking any decision in this regard,’ he hoped.
Meanwhile, the authorities have demolished unauthorised structures on Begunbari canal, a water retention area that drains out sewage and water through Hatirjheel, including construction on extension of the state-owned Pan-Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, for not having any land-use clearance from the city development authoriti
Courtesy: newagebd.com
