Many high-rises disregarding safety

Many of the privately-owned multi-story buildings, under construction in Rajshahi metropolis, are not properly following the safety rules, causing dangers to pedestrians and construction workers.

According to the officials of Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA), the buildings should have canopies around them to prevent the fall of masonry that may lead to injuries and deaths.

At the same time, many buildings are being constructed at busy intersections and important points like markets and mosques in the city, which adds to the risk of accidents.

A few months ago, a construction worker named Abul Akhter Babu, 24, was killed when a portion of an under-construction three-story building collapsed on him in Tikapara area. Another worker, Mobarak, 55, died in October last year, falling off a six-story building being constructed in Kadirganj.

Ashraful Haque, chief engineer of Rajshahi City Corporation, said it was mandatory for everyone to follow the safety guidelines in public interest. He said the construction of high-rises was a recent phenomenon in Rajshahi; that's why owners should be forced to follow rules strictly.