Most markets under Dhaka's two city corporations are at fire risk — major reasons being breaching the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) plan and not maintaining fire service standards. More fire incidents can occur if Rajuk and other relevant authorities do not respond promptly. Mouchak and Anarkali markets in Dhaka’s Malibagh, Siddheshwari areas are adjacent to each other. Almost every floor of the Mouchak market has more shops than the original plan accommodates. The shops’ designs have also been altered. Shops have even been set up in spaces that were marked as passageways within the market. From the bottom of these two markets to the four sides, there is no room in the corner. Furthermore, the entry and exit points are quite small, making these two markets prone to fire incidents. Also Read: Fire Service’s recommendations for markets to be implemented with priority: State Minister Meanwhile, Chandni Chawk market near New Market is also at fire risk. Condition at Chandni Chawk is similar to Mouchak’s. The Rajuk plan and requirements were not implemented at this market either. It should be mentioned that a fire at New Supermarket — next to New Market and opposite Chandni Chawk — was devastated by a fire on April 15. In Sayedabad Supermarket, Phulbaria Sundarban market, Nagar Plaza, City Plaza, and other markets and shopping centres, there are many more shops than the original Rajuk-approved plans allow. Fires are also likely to occur in crowded markets with no fire extinguishing system. Also Read: Taposh urges long-term initiative to free markets of fire risk Similarly, Rajuk Uttara Shopping Complex has significantly more shops than the market is meant to accommodate, according to the development authority's plan. There are illegal structures everywhere, including the basement, as well as the market's entrance. A fire service team recently visited Gausia Market and found that Rajuk rules were not followed. If a fire occurs as a result of breaching the plans, not enough people will be able to come down the stairs. Electrical wires were also seen unconcealed everywhere in the market. There is no fire alarm system either. Except for shopping malls like Bashundhara City Shopping Complex and Jamuna Future Park, almost all markets in Dhaka city are at fire risk. Local influential people, according to the fire department, have set up marketplaces and allotted shops at their discretion. Also Read: 58 markets in Dhaka at risk of fire; 9 marked 'extremely risky' These markets, according to city planner Adil Mohammad Khan, were constructed without regard to any standard or regulation. The tin-shed markets are also quite risky. If not closely monitored, there will be more fire incidents in the future, he warned.

The long-awaited Purbachal Expressway will connect the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway with the capital. According to Rajuk, the capital development authority, the expressway will be ready to be inaugurated in the next 2-3 months. Billed as one of the most spectacular and attractive expressways in south and eastern Asia, it will connect Dhaka’s Progoti Swaroni and Airport Road to the Eastern Bypass. There will be no traffic signals on the 12.5-km long expressway, which will have upto 14 lanes. According to Rajuk, a 6.5-km stretch of the 12.5-km expressway, from the capital’s Kuril area to the Balu River, is being constructed with 14 lanes. Of these 14 lanes, eight will be part of the main expressway, while the remaining six lanes will be used as service roads for the movement of local vehicles. The 6-km stretch of the expressway from the Balu River to Kanchan Bridge will have 12 lanes - six forming the expressway, six as service roads. At present, 95 percent of the project is complete, said sources at Rajuk. Read More: RAJUK lauches work on deep tube wells for Purbachal New Town project  The cost of construction of the expressway has been estimated at Tk 764 crore. As part of the project, 10 large bridges will be built at an estimated cost of Tk 488 crore. The construction of the expressway from Kuril Bishwa Road to Kanchan Bridge is in the final stages. Currently the construction of drainage systems along the roads and canals is going on. In many places, dividers are being installed. The Bangladesh Army's 24 Engineer Construction Brigade is implementing the project. Meanwhile, Rajuk is currently digging 100-foot-wide canals on both sides of the Kuril-Purbachal Link road with the help of the Army, to preclude waterlogging. Rajuk Chairman Anisur Rahman Miah told UNB recently that most of this work is complete. Also read: Construction underway of iconic Bangabandhu Tri-Tower at Purbachal There will also be 13 arched bridges, like the ones in Hatirjheel, costing an estimated Tk 227 crore. Five at-grade intersections are being constructed so that vehicles in the adjacent areas can use the service lanes to get on the expressway at the same grade or elevation. A subway will be added to the expressway under each intersection, according to Rajuk. Besides, a four-kilometer drainage line for rain water, two culverts and 12 water bus stands will be constructed in the project area. In addition, the number of pedestrian-bridges has been increased from the four mentioned in the original project outline of 2015 to 12, the number of pump houses from one to five, and the number of sluice gates from four to ten. Read More: Iconic Purbachal CBD project launched “The entire project will be completed in a quick time," Anisur Rahman said. "Hopefully, it will be inaugurated within the next three months. Once complete, the road communication between the capital and Purbachal will be modernised. Rajuk and police will work jointly to provide adequate security on the roads.” Regarding the canal reclamation project, Anisur said: “Once there were three major canals - Dumni, Boalia, and AD-8 -that would drain the rainwater out of the Airport, Nikunja, Baridhara and surrounding areas. However, those canals are completely gone.” “We’re hoping to reclaim those canals with this project,” he added. The plan to dig and develop a 100-foot-wide canal on either side of the Kuril-Purbachal link road was approved at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on November 4, 2018. The Rajuk chairman hopes that the canals will help to solve the waterlogging problem in the Kuril, Baridhara, Nikunja and Airport areas during monsoon. Read More: Hasina unveils state-of-the-art exhibition centre in Purbachal The Rajuk chairman said that once all the work is complete, the area would also present 'the nearest tourist spot' to Dhaka. The estimated cost of the Purbachal Expressway project was originally Tk 5,287 crore, back in 2015. The addition of three additional canals, roads, bridges, and other elements described above have added an extra Tk 5,043 crore. The overall cost of the project has thus nearly doubled to Tk 10,330 crore.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed on Thursday said that some 34,036 applications for design approval have been received in Rajuk since the start of online design approval process in 2019. “Among those, 22, 933 applications have been approved as those were submitted with necessary documents,” he said. The minister said this while responding to a tabled question from ruling party MP Anwar Hossain Khan. Ahmed said that the Rajuk launched an online service to ensure transparency and accountability in design approval from May 2, 2019. A total of 81 applications were rejected as per rules due to various inconsistencies.   At present, 3,859 applications are under process at various stages in the capital development authority.   Apart from this, 7,164 applications have been forwarded to the applicants at various times due to non-submission of required documents by the concerned owners or representatives. In response to the question of ruling party MP Mamunur Rashid, Education Minister Dipu Moni said that currently there are 20,316 secondary level educational institutions under the secondary and higher education departments across the country.   Read more: Rajuk on its way to redevelop centuries-old Old Dhaka Among them, 2,357 lower secondary schools (6th to 8th), 16,516 secondary schools (6th to 10th) and 1,443 schools and colleges. In response to the question of ruling party MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury, Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman said that BCSIR has so far invented 1,45 technological methods and obtained patent rights for 376 methods.   So far 263 technologies/methods have been leased to more than 300 industrialists or organisations. In response to the question of AL MP Manjur Hossain, the education minister said that the total number of Alia Madrasahs under the Technical and Madrasa Education Department is 9,292.   Of these, there are three government madrasas.   There are 8,229 madrasas under Monthly Pay Order (MPO) and 1,600 non-MPO madrasas.   Apart from this, there are 8,972 madrasas run independently.  

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (RAJUK) is working to reframe development project proposals (DPPs) to develop two townships in Turag and Keraniganj as part of step to reduce the growing pressure of population in Dhaka city. State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed said this in Parliament on Thursday, replying to a tabled question from Awami League MP Mohammad Habib Hasan (Dhaka-18). Read more: Rajuk on its way to redevelop centuries-old Old Dhaka In the scripted answer, Sharif said the initiatives were taken to undertake two projects titled ‘Conservation of Flood Flow Zone of Turag River and Compact Township Development Project' and 'Waterfront Smart City Project’ in Keraniganj. He said the feasibility studies on the two projects have been completed. “In line with the recommendations of the feasibility studies, the reframing works of DPPs of the two projects now continue,” he said. Besides, the implementation works of a satellite town project continue to reduce the pressure of population in the capital, said the state minister. The infrastructural development and plot allotment of the project titled ‘Purbachal New Town’ has been completed, while the construction works for other civic facilities are near completion, he added. Read more: RAJUK lauches work on deep tube wells for Purbachal New Town project In reply to a scripted question from AL lawmaker M Abdul Latif (Chattogram-11), the state minister said the National Housing Authority has a plan to construct some 3,816 residential flats under seven residential flat construction projects in order to provide the residential facilities at low cost in Dhaka. Besides, the authority has already implemented 10 residential flat construction projects in Mirpur and Mohammadpur in Dhaka and constructed 4,358 flats, he said. The construction of 3,611 residential flats under seven other projects continue in the capital city, said Sharif.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to allocate land at Purbachal to build an apparel club to facilitate the meeting and recreation of foreign nationals working for global brands and buyers in Bangladesh offices and apparel factories. The club would help to build a good rapport with the foreign nationals and expats working in the readymade garments (RMG) sector, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said Monday. He met with Rajuk Chairman Md Anisur Rahman Miah at his office in Dhaka. BGMEA Vice-President Miran Ali was also present. Faruque talked about the achievements of the RMG industry that have boosted the trust and confidence of global buyers in the garments with the "Made in Bangladesh" tag. Now global brands and buyers are more interested in expanding their business in Bangladesh, he said.

The High Court on Tuesday (November 01, 2022) issued a rule questioning why the authorities’ failure and inaction to free a house from Awami League MP Abdus Salam Murshedy’s illegal occupation will not be declared illegal.  It also directed the authorities concerned to submit all documents regarding allotment of the abandoned house in the capital’s Gulshan to Awami League MP Abdus Salam Murshedy.  Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) chairman, Housing and Public Works secretary and Khulna-4 constituency MP Murshedy have been asked to submit the documents within 10 days in affidavit form.  Read more: Salam Murshedy elected MP uncontested The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat came up with the directive during a hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard in the public interest.   The court has fixed November 13, for the next hearing. Petitioner Supreme Court lawyer Syed Sayedul Haque Suman said the abandoned house in Gulshan is the property of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works but the Khulna-4 MP illegally occupied it with the help of Rajuk.  Read more: Defaming PM: HC grants bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader On October 30, the SC lawyer submitted the writ petition seeking an investigation into it.  According to the petition, house no 29 of road 104 at Gulshan- 2 was enlisted as abandoned by the government in 1986.   Three letters sent to Rajuk by the Housing and Public Works Ministry in 2015 and 2016 seeking an explanation for the illegal occupation of the house by Murshedy were attached to the petition.  Read More: Defaming PM: HC grants bail to Rajbari Mahila Dal leader As RAJUK chairman didn’t respond to the letters the writ petition was filed challenging the authority’s inaction against the occupation of the abandoned house by AL MP Murshedy. 

Imagine an Old Dhaka with wider roads, less congestion, better water and electricity supply. That’s what the  Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) wants to achieve in its ambitious plan to refurbish the centuries-old Mughal-era parts of the capital city, better known as Old Dhaka. The city development authority has selected seven spots for renovation of Old Dhaka where feasibility studies are going to start soon. The spots are Islampur, Chawkbazar, Bongshal, Moulvibazar, Hazaribag, Swarighat and Kamrangirchar, where the dwellers face problems like narrow lanes, rundown buildings, high population density, risky electricity connection, lack of pure drinking water, decreasing open spaces and faulty drainage system, said Ashraful Islam, Chief City Planner of Rajuk and Project Director of Rajuk’s Detailed Area Plan (DAP). Read: Chemical warehouses: Old Dhakaites still living with ticking time bombs

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) on Monday inaugurated the deep tube well construction work on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis to supply water to the Purbachal New Town project. On behalf of RAJUK Chairman (Secretary), Major (Engr) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury (Retd), Member (Development) of RAJUK has inaugurated the construction work at 102 Road of Sector 3 of Purbachal project area, said a press release. Engr. Ujjwal Mallick, chief engineer (Implementation) of RAJUK, Md. Aminur Rahman, project director of Purbachal New Town Project, Md Manirul Haque, project director of Purbachal water supply project; and associated officers and staffs were also present at the inauguration ceremony. Aiming to supply 340 million liters of water daily in the Purbachal New Town project area, 320 kilometers (km) pipeline network, 15 deep tube-wells, an administrative building and a workshop will be constructed under Purbachal Water Supply Project. This PPP project is being implemented at a cost of Tk 592.39 crore out of which by RAJUK will invest Tk 299.80 crore and the remaining cost will be borne by the project company United Delcot Water Limited. The project will be implemented in four phases. In first phase of the project, water will be supplied in five sectors (sector 1, 2,3,4,5) by June 2022 and by the end of December 2024, water will be supplied periodically to the rest of the sectors of Purbachal New Town. Out of 15, three deep tube wells will be constructed in first phase among which the work of the first one started today. By these deep tube wells water will be supplied till 2028 and afterwards water demand will be fulfilled with surface water supplied by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA). Regarding this, negotiations are underway between Dhaka WASA and RAJUK. READ: Iconic Purbachal CBD project launched Mentioning this as the first water supply project on PPP basis in Bangladesh, Member (implementation) of RAJUK hopes affluent people would come to reside in the Purbachal township and asked for everyone’s cooperation regarding this. The development works of Purbachal new town is in its final phase. Out of 26,000 plots under Purbachal New Town Project, 22,000 plots has already been handed over to their owners. Out of 320 kilometres of road network, 300 kilometers work has been completed. Also out of 56 bridges, 39 bridges construction work has been done and remaining 17 bridges will be completed by June 2022. Supply of Electricity has been done for all the sectors. Purbachal link road construction work will be completed by June 2022, said the release.

Approval will be needed from the concerned city corporation along with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in order to erect any kind of establishment in Dhaka,  Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam made the announcement on Sunday while attending a meeting at the secretariat on evaluations of measures taken by the city corporations to resolve waterlogging issue in Dhaka and Chattogram ahead of monsoon. The minister asked the city mayors to stay alert about anyone facing harassment while taking approval from the city corporations. The minister said concerned ministry, department, office, organisations, private organisations or individuals will need to seek approval for constructions and arrangements will need to be made to monitor them after giving approval. Md Tajul Islam said, “There are many bridges in Dhaka city and adjoining areas but they have no navigation facilities for vessels. Decision has been taken to construct new bridges by breaking the old ones keeping navigation facilities.” Also read: Buildings having rainwater harvesting system to get tax waiver: DNCC Mayor Mentioning occupation of canals and water bodies as one of the main causes of waterlogging the minister said in this monsoon there will be no waterlogging as Dhaka North and South City Corporations are working to ensure no such public suffering occurs. He said both the city corporations have already started eviction drives to remove these illegal occupations and the north city corporation is working to make the city beautiful along with creating water retention ponds. Also read: Recovered city canals will end waterlogging and add beauty: LGRD Minister Minister Tajul Islam decided to form a sub committee led by additional secretary of LGRD Ministry for solving waterlogging, to recover the canals and repair them at Chattogram City Corporation.

The Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) has issued a notice seeking asset statements of five government officials including the chief engineer (implementation) of Rajuk. Read: Illegal buildings: Rajuk officials to be under DNCC’s radar Deputy director of ACC public relations office Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB on Monday that they were asked to submit their asset statements within 21 working days. The five government officials are additional chief engineer of Public Works Department of Dhaka metropolitan area Pradeep Kumer Basu,  his wife Taposhi Das, supervising engineer of Roads and Highways department of Khulna Zone, councillor of Ward number-9 of Tarabo Municipality of Rupganj Upazilla of Narayanganj Atiqur Rahman, chief engineer of Rajuk ( implementation) and Project Director of Urban resilience project of Rajuk part Abdul Latif Helali , his wife Rozina Begum, and former office assistant of Rajuk Abdul Jalil Akanda and his wife Jahanara Begum. Read: ACC sues Rajuk employee They have been directed to submit to the Commission  statements of their all movable and immovable property, liabilities, sources of income and their acquisition in the name of themselves and their dependents, the spokesperson said. The notice further said that if they fail to submit the statements of asset within the stipulated time or submit false statements, action would be taken against them as per sub-section (2) of section 26 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.