Former Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has constructed a 20-storied building in the capital’s Gulshan violating the original design and without permission from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).
The high-rise building has been constructed on No-59 and 60 plots beside Gulshan Avenue of No-1 circle. Lotus Kamal Properties applied to RAJUK for a 20-storied building and the matter was discussed several times. However, RAJUK didn’t approve due to legal complexities.
According to RAJUK, it has permitted Lotus Kamal Properties to construct a 14-storied building. However, the company didn’t maintain it and constructed a 20-storied building without permission before 2020.
During the construction work, RAJUK sent a letter and took various steps. But Lotus Kamal Properties didn’t pay respect to the RAJUK order.
On 29 December 2021, two daughters of AHM Mustafa Kamal applied to RAJUK for its approval of the extended six-story which has been constructed violating rules.
In the application, Mustafa Kamal’s daughters offered a fine and sought permission for the illegal structure. Later, the matter was presented to the five-member high-level Building Construction (BC) committee of RAJUK.
Later, a meeting of the BC committee held on 3 February last year discussed that RAJUK has approved Lotus Kamal Properties to construct a 14-story building with three basements. If the company wants to extend the building height, it will have to get the release from the land department of RAJUK and the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence, the layout design of engineers and architect, permission for a large project of RAJUK, and certificate from the Department of Architecture under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
In 2019, a RAJUK team visited the faulty building. RAJUK team found 1,818 high-rise buildings in eight zones at that time. All these buildings have been constructed violating the building code of the RAJUK. The 20-storied building owned by AHM Mustafa Kamal is one of the most important of these buildings.
Contacted, RAJUK Chairman Md Anisur Rahman Mia said he was not informed about the 20-storied building in Gulshan saying only authorized officials can say about the matter.
@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on January 29, 2024 and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.
