United News of Bangladesh

For nearly 140 years, Dhaka Club’s historic Main Lounge has stood as one of the capital’s most recognisable social landmarks, a building tied closely to the city’s institutional, civic and social memory. But beyond the structure's heritage value, growing safety concerns now raise a difficult question: how long can preservation wait when visible structural distress has already been documented? A preliminary visual structural condition assessment of the club’s Main Lounge Building and Bar Area has identified corrosion of steel members, cracks in slabs and beams, cracks in load-bearing walls, moisture intrusion, column irregularities and signs of possible past alterations. The assessment carried out by an expert team appointed by the club describes the building’s overall structural condition as “very vulnerable” and mentioned that because only a few accessible areas were inspected, the actual condition may be more severe than the preliminary findings suggest. It also states the structure is “very vulnerable during an earthquake” and recommends restricting access to heavily distressed zones while immediately commissioning a full Detailed Engineering Assessment, or DEA, to determine the true extent of the risk. The building at the centre of the concern is the “Main Lounge”, the historic heart of Dhaka Club. Tanvir Ahmed, BOD in charge of Sports at Dhaka Club, said the club premises include six buildings: the Main Lounge, Samsung H Building, Royal Bengal Dining, Wellness Building, Guest House and Tennis Lounge shade. “The main concern is the main lounge rooftop,” he said. Dhaka Club President Shameem Hossain also identified the Main Lounge as the area requiring urgent attention. He described it as “the Main Lounge, which has become pretty dilapidated and needs immediate intervention, or a fateful incident may occur.” He added, “The other buildings are okay structurally, but the lounge building is not. Rain seeping in from many points. Almost 140 years old and has been repaired many times over the years.” He said the roof was inspected in 1986 by architect and structural engineer Shahidullah, who inspected and proposed immediate work in 1986 and did a minor repair and said it would be good enough for 10 years. “40 years have since passed yet no action has been taken,” Hossain said. That timeline now sits at the centre of the debate. If the 1986 intervention was intended as a short-term measure, the structure has outlived that temporary protection by almost four decades. During that time, the building has continued to serve members, staff and visitors. The preliminary assessment appears to support those concerns. Its visual findings repeatedly point to corrosion of steel members and slab reinforcement, cracking in slabs and beam joints, cracks near load-bearing walls and moisture-related deterioration. The report does not call for immediate demolition. Instead, it calls for a deeper engineering investigation. Its recommendation is clear: distressed areas should be cordoned off to protect occupants, and a full DEA should be commissioned immediately because the preliminary inspection was limited. Only such an assessment can determine the true extent of structural vulnerability and ensure public safety.  

The 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Commonwealth of Independent States-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CIS-BCCI) was held on Saturday at Dhaka Club Ltd.    During the AGM, CIS-BCCI President Mohammad Ali Deen presented the Annual Report of 2024 and explained the future plan of the Chamber along with past activities, said a media release on Sunday.   Jadab Debnath, Vice President of the Chamber presented the Financial Report of the Chamber for the year 2024.       The general members, along with the Board of Directors/Honorary Advisers, participated in the discussion on the annual report and audited financial reports and approved those unanimously.   Claims that polls to be held under PR attributing it to CA false: Press Wing   The meeting ended with a vote of thanks from the Vice President of the Chamber Jadab Debnath.   The AGM was followed by annual dinner.   CIS-BCCI, a registered trade body, is working to promote bilateral trade relations between Bangladesh and CIS countries, including Russia.   CIS-BCCI regularly interacts with the related agencies of the government and with respective diplomatic missions to explore CIS market including Russia as the third front of the export destination after the USA and EU.

The High Court on Monday declared illegal all sorts of gambling in exchange of money across the country and directed the government to take steps against gambling organisers and gamblers.