MSB causing severe traffic jam in Dhaka city

by Sohail Choudhury
January 4, 2012

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/2060/msb-causing-severe-traffic-jam-in-dhaka-city

When the government as well as traffic department of Bangladesh Police are continuously trying to resolve the ever increasing traffic congestions in the capital city in Bangladesh, owners of Multi Storied Buildings [MSB] are continuing to further worsen the situation as most of them do not either have under-ground vehicle parking facilities in their buildings, or have already used the under-ground parking spaces for various commercial and industrial purposes. Just because of such illegal practices by the owners of such multi storied commercial and residential buildings, vehicles are parked on road sides, causing extra burden to the existing traffic congestions.

On physical verification, Weekly Blitz has already located a number of multi storied buildings in Dhaka city, where there are no under-ground parking spaces, or the under-ground parking spaces are already used for various commercial and industrial purposes. List of such buildings are given below for the knowledge of Dhaka City Corporation, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha - RAJUK [Capital City Development Authorities], Bangladesh Police and the ministries concerned:

1. Rajlaxsmi Complex: This is a market located at Dhaka's Uttara area, which does not have any under-ground parking space, thus dozens of vehicles are already parked on the road side, causing severe traffic congestion. This market is owned by Abdur Razzak, who once is a celebrity actor of Bangladesh film industry.

2. H M Plaza: This is a market and commercial building located at Dhaka's Uttara area, where the under-ground car parking space has already been rented out to various commercial enterprises, including a restaurant. Having kitchen at the under-ground car parking space, this building also stands as potential threat to human safety.

3. Kushol Centre: This is a commercial building located at Dhaka's Uttara area. Under-ground car parking space of this building has already been transformed into shops and the entire parking lot has been turned into vegetable and grocery market.

4. London Plaza: This is a market and commercial building located at Dhaka's Uttara area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

5. Skylark Point: This commercial building is located at 175 Shahid Syed Nazrul Islam Sharani at Dhaka's Bijoy Nagar area. The under-ground car parking space in this building has already been transformed into ware house, while the tenants and owners of this building park their vehicles on the road, thus causing traffic congestions.

6. Belly Complex: This is a market and commercial building located at Dhaka's Uttara area with no under-ground parking space for the vehicles.

7. RAJUK Commercial Centre: This is a market and commercial building located at Dhaka's Uttara area, which has been established by the employee's association of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha. This building does not have its own under-ground car parking space, as the same has already been rented out to various shops and business establishments.

8. Kakrail Super Market: This is a market and commercial building located at Dhaka's Kakrail area [Kakrail point], which does not have any under-ground car parking space.

9. Modern Mansion: This is a commercial building located at 53, Motijheel commercial area in Dhaka, which does not have any under-ground car parking space.

10. Karim Chamber: This is a commercial building located at 99, Motijheel commercial area in Dhaka, which does not have any under-ground car parking space.

11. DCIC Building: This is a commercial building located at Dhaka's Motijheel commercial area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

12. Amin Chamber: This is a commercial building located at Dhaka's Motijheel commercial area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

13. Allahwala Building: This is a commercial building located at Dhaka's Motijheel commercial area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

14. Hotel Metropolitan: This is a residential hotel building located at Dhaka's Bijoy Nagar area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

15. Hotel Pritom: This is a residential hotel building located at Dhaka's Bijoy Nagar area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

16. Hotel Ashrafi: This is a residential hotel building located at Dhaka's Rajar Bagh area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

17. Rushmono Clinic: This is a private hospital located at Dhaka's Moghbazar area, which does not have any under-ground parking space.

It was further found that, almost 70 per cent of the existing high-rise commercial buildings in Dhaka city do not have their own car parking space, thus compelling people in parking vehicles on the road. At the same time, a large portion of the under-ground parking spaces of multi storied buildings are already used for commercial and industrial purposes.

In Dhaka city, most of the educational institutions, such as Scholastica [at Uttara and Gulshan], Maple Leaf School [at Dhanmondi area] Viqarunnisa Noon School and College [at Beily Road], Dhaka International Tutorial, Oxford International School [at Dhanmondi area], Meridian College [at Progoti Sharani], Ideal School [at Motijheel], Notre Dame College, Habibullah Bahar College, Abu Jar Gifari College, Mastermind School [at Dhanmondi and Uttara], Australian International School [at Gulshan] etc do not have any car parking space, thus causing severe traffic congestions on a regular basis, especially during school hours. Moreover, a large number of residential buildings at Dhaka's Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara and Nikunja areas have already been rented out to various commercial establishments such as restaurants, guest houses, banks, clinics, diagnosis centres, schools, colleges, coaching centres, super stores, retail stores, tailoring shops, workshops, small factories etc, which is a clear violation of the rules set by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha. Experts feel that authorities concerned need to initiate immediate steps in taking stern action against the owners of such multi storied buildings for not having any under-ground car parking space, or renting out such spaces to various commercial and industrial enterprises. The experts also feel that the government and Rajdhani Unnayan Karipakkha should take punitive measures against the owners of houses and plots at Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara and Nikunja area, for illegally transforming the residential buildings and plots into commercial establishments.

A highly placed source at Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha told Weekly Blitz that, the allocation letter of plots at Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Uttara and Nikunja areas categorically specified the nature of the usage of such plots. If any of the owners have already converted the residential buildings or plots into commercial establishments, RAJUK can cancel their lease for violating the rules. The source further said that, plots at Dhanmondi area were leased out for 99 years from between 1945-1955. All of these lease agreements will expire during 2035-2045. At that time, RAJUK will have the right to take back the allocated plots from the lessees or the lessees will require entering into fresh lease agreement with the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha. "We never sold any of the plots to the so-called owners, but all of the plots were leased out for a specific period of 99 years. On expiration of the lease period, naturally the plots will once again come under ownership of RAJUK, if fresh lease agreements will not be signed" RAJUK source said.

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