The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha has taken a decision for the engagement of third parties to supervise building constructions under its jurisdiction. The Rajuk took the decision on June 14 based on a discussion held on May 21 with the participation of the representatives of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, and the Institute of Architects Bangladesh.
From now on, according to the new Rajuk decision, five plans have to be submitted before starting the construction of a building, which are architectural, structural, fire safety, electrical, and plumbing plans. Earlier, the Rajuk allowed buildings to be constructed with only architectural plans submitted to it in breach of the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC). As per the new decision, individuals or organisations undertaking the construction of buildings have to submit an agreement with a technical person, contracted to supervise the construction work, along with the building approval application, the Rajuk’s design approval is needed for constructing any building under its jurisdiction, and the building is to be constructed under the supervision of the technical person following the BNBC code.
The structural and other plans will have to be submitted two months later after the vetting of the architectural plan by the Rajuk Building Construction Committee while the authorised officer concerned will give the building approval after the submission of all the designs to the Rajuk. While building activities began on June 1 according to the new decision, another meeting will be held for taking further measures if any problem arises in the implementation of the decision.
Insiders said most building owners in our country don’t have the ability to pay a technical person to supervise the entire building construction process. I think that Rajuk does not have the capacity to address all the plans. Anti-corruption campaigners said the taste of pudding is in eating, it remains to be seen if this initiative is going to truly serve the purpose or in reality turns out to be a facade of further multi-layered network of procedural complexities and hence, newer opportunities for collusive harassment and extortion of customers which Rajuk is known for.
