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Rescue efforts falter in Old Dhaka alleys

MIZANUR KHAN
***Shankhari Bazar tragedy is an eye-opener as firemen, army fought to reach the scene after a six-storey building collapsed***
Narrow streets are the main hindrance to rescue efforts in Old Dhaka, home to hundreds of centuries-old ramshackle buildings that have become virtual death traps for residents.
Encroachment and construction of illegal structures along the lanes and by-lanes of Sutrapur, Kotwali and Lalbagh that have slowed the pace of transportation add to the problem.
The fear of disaster moved front and centre, as a six-storey building collapsed at Shankhari Bazar on June 9, killing 19 people in sleep and injuring many more.
"Thank God, it was a predawn collapse. If it had happened in the busy hours of the day, more people would have been killed," said Hrishikesh Nandi, 95, who lives close to the scene.
Locals, firemen and army engineering corps said they could not reach the spot immediately for rescue work, as they could not get the vehicles in because of the narrow roads.
"We rescued some who were seriously injured but could not take them to hospital. Our ambulance could not move because it was
too big for the
narrow streets, " said
Mahbu burRahma n, an army man, who along with police and fireme n combe d throug h the rubble lookin g for the reside nts trappe d inside.
Gias uddin Ahmed , a police officer, said the rescue operation took two days as cranes and other clearing equipment could not reach the site.
The densely populated old quarter of the city is a maze of narrow streets permitting only rickshaws to ply. Residents walk a long distance from the main road to reach home. The alleys are dark, narrow, long and winding. Traffic congestion in Old Dhaka has become commonplace and people get stuck in the rush-hour gridlock.
"We start from home at least an hour before to reach school in time. We sometimes change rickshaws several times on the way to make sure we do not miss the
first lesson," said Shahana Islam, a ninth grader.
Locals said narrow roads with potholes, unplanned structures and worn-out sewers have made life miserable for some 20 lakh residents. "Some have already moved to the new part of the city," said Anup Sur, a 35-year-old shop owner at Shankhari Bazar.
"Narrow streets in Old Dhaka are no new, but the increased flow of traffic and illegal expansion of buildings by landowners slowed the movement more than snail's pace," he added.
Professor Muntasir Mamun of the history department at Dhaka University (DU) said Old Dhaka streets have been narrow since the days of yore, even if the capital was set up on the bank of the Buriganga. Houses were built according to people's wishes as no authorities were appointed to check building plans.
"People used Palki, horses as their mode of transport. There was no concept of cars in the city and roads were not developed for heavy traffic," he said.
Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkho (Rajuk) are unaware of the numbers and locations of narrow streets.
Rajuk officials said they have no map of Old Dhaka, but DCC officials claimed to be working on it.
"We have already done half of the work and I hope we will complete it by the next year," said Abu Taleb, DCC estate officer.
Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka said: "This is a social problem. Rajuk and DCC cannot solve the crisis alone. All, especially locals, must have a hand in solving the problem."
The mayor sat with the ward commissioners and local leaders several times and addressed the issue. "The solution will not come out of one meeting. I think if Rajuk designs a master plan, we can implement it," Taleb said.
"The North South Road was constructed about 15 years ago. Why can't we go for more?" he asked.
DCC Chief Engineer Idris Mian said there was a plan to widen narrow streets. He said the principal secretary has taken a decision and asked the DCC to go in for implementation.
"How can we do that if the landowners do not cooperate? If they do not spare any land where shall we construct the streets?" Dr Mian said, adding whenever there was a move to widen the streets, landlords filed cases.
The chief engineer claimed that the DCC has already widened 14 streets in Nawabganj and Hazaribagh. The Central Road was widened from 16 feet to 24 feet.
The DCC zone-2 is
responsible for the construction and maintenance of the roads in much of the old city. According to the zonal staff, there are around 100km of streets in Kotwali and Sutrapur, among them 22km are primary, 18km secondary and 32km local.
"It is impossible to widen roads without demolishing some buildings," said Mofazzal Hossain, the zone's assistant engineer.
Professor Nazrul Islam of DU, an urban expert, pointed out that less than five percent of the total 25 square kilometres of land area in Old Dhaka is used for road network. The figure is about eight percent in the new quarter of the city.
"A big city should have eight percent of its total land area for roads," Dr Islam said.
Indromohon Nandi, 65, who was sleeping on the rooftop of the collapsed building, believes the authorities have to come forward to defuse the crisis.
"The people living here are poor and cannot think of widening streets. Rajuk or DCC should come forward to save us by other means," he said.