12 high-risk DNCC market buildings still in place

At least 12 buildings of seven markets owned by Dhaka North City Corporation are still in place and are at high risk of fire and collapse as the authority did not take any action even after six years since the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology identified the hazards.
After Rana Plaza Collapse, which killed over 1,100 garment workers and inured several thousands in 2013, DNCC initiated a move to assess vulnerability of its building under 16 markets.
BUET found that 12 buildings of seven markets are in vulnerable condition and are at high risk in the face of any kinds of disasters.
The risky buildings are DNCC Kitchen Market and DNCC Market at Gulshan-2, Khilgoan Taltola Kitchen Market, Khilgoan Taltola Super Market, Kawranbazar Arot Bhaban, Kawranbazar DNCC Bhaban-1, Kawranbazar DNCC Bhaban-2, Kawrambazar Kitchen Market, Mohammadpur Town Hall Market, Mohammadpur Town Hall Kitchen Market, Prantik Super Market at Gabtoli and Aminbazar Truck Terminal market.
At Karwanbazar, thousands of people were seen trading under the unstable roofs of the rundown buildings.
Wholesaler Azgar Ali said that he was in panic but continued business every day amid the high risks to earn bread and batter for his family.
In September in 2013, BUET in its report said that the building use should be discontinued immediately to avoid the looming hazards.
They also recommended different types of safety measures included demolition, retrofitting, repairing and load release to make the buildings useable. 
DNCC chief executive officer Abdul Hai said that the DNCC could not demolish or repair the market as businessmen did not vacate the markets.
‘We agreed on certain issues with the businessmen in a meeting last week, measures will soon be adopted,’ he said.
Karwanbazar Kitchen Market Businessmen Association general secretary Lokman Hossain said that city corporation could not demolish the building before rehabilitating the traders as they have been doing business there for decades.
He said that before relocation government should take actions against the people who made the market vulnerable within the time span of 30 to 35 years while an average lifetime of a building was 100 years.
‘Businessmen will never compensate for the failure of the DNCC officials,’ he said adding that corporation officials took unlawful benefit by construction bellow standard building.
DNCC constructed two markets at Aminbazar and Mohakhali to relocate the businesses from Kawranbazar but the shifting remained stalled for the last 12 years.
Continuation of the age-old market using Karwan Bazaar’s rundown buildings poses risks to shoppers as well as sellers, they said.
DNCC officials said the market could not be shifted as planned due to opposition from the shopkeepers.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net