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Dilapidated Govt Staff Quarters in Khulna Chy

1,000 families living with risk of collapse

AHSANUL AMEEN GEORGE, Khulna
Around 1,000 families are living in 43 dilapidated buildings of three government staff quarters in Khulna city, putting themselves at risk of accident any moment.
Of the buildings, 28 are six-storey and the others are four-storey ones.
Cracks developed in different places, including ceilings and beams, in the 44-year-old buildings consisting of 912 flats. Each of the 500 sq ft flats has two rooms.
The three quarters - C&B Colony in Joragate, and Low Cost Colony and CCS Colony in Boyra - accommodate government employees of different classes from different departments, and the people, mostly with low incomes, often sublet these flats to make ends meet.
The buildings have been in such a situation for around three years, but the authorities concerned are yet to repair, demolish or reconstruct those.
Sub-division-1, 2 and 3 under Public Works Department (Khulna Zone) are responsible for supervising the overall activities of the buildings.
Acknowledging the fact, Amit Kumar Biswas, sub-divisional engineer of the sub-division-2, said a team, led by Maruful Haque, sub-divisional engineer of the Design Division at PWD Dhaka headquarters, visited the buildings four months ago.
When contacted on Thursday, Amit told The Daily Star that Maruful would submit a report to the Khulna office within a day or two. "What steps would follow depends on the report," he added.
Abul Khair, upper division assistant of the Joint Directorate of Labour, Khulna, said the building they were living in at C&B Colony was absolutely uninhabitable. "We are always scared of ceiling collapse."
Zinat Ara, a staff at Deputy Commissioner's Office, living at CCS Colony; and Sohrab Hossain, office assistant of Land Registry Office, residing at Low Cost Colony, echoed Abul Khair.
Due to a lack of repair, the buildings' condition has been worsening for a long time, said the residents.
Some residents of building no 7 and 8 at C&B Colony have already moved out after PWD declared those the most vulnerable four months ago, said Amit.
Shahina Begum, 30, a resident of building no 7 at C&B Colony, said when she cooked, often sand from the wall's plaster fell on food. "Almost every morning, we find sand in bed."
Muhammad Sarwar Jahan, executive engineer of the sub-division-2, said they had recommended demolishing the buildings to the higher authorities in Dhaka head office.
Sharif Shafiqul Hamid Chandon, president of Khulna Unnayan Fomin, a group advocating for development of Khulna, said they would submit a memorandum to the authorities concerned to take steps about the risky buildings soon.