Shop owners hit the Dhaka-Aricha highway in protest after a nine-storied building ‘Razzak Plaza’ was shut down following media reports that it had developed cracks.
The building is located near the ‘Rana Plaza’ that collapsed and killed more than 1100 people.
The shopowners say the reports are blatantly false, there were no cracks in the building but the closure based on the reports had caused them loss of business.
Local authorities were trying to persuade the agitating shopowners out of their protests on Wednesday morning.
‘Razzak Plaza’ houses two ready-made garment factories inside it which have already been closed down.
Savar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Qamrul Hassan Molla said that the building was shut down after reports of cracks in them were run.
“BUET experts will test the building.”
The first three floors of this building have 270 shops selling mobile phones, clothes, jewellery and other products. Factories of ‘Pacific Blue Jeanswear’ and ‘Jobian Sweaters’, both belonging to the Muslim group, occupy floors 4-8.
The ninth floor has a tin-shed canteen for workers.
‘Razzak Plaza’ has permit up to eight floors, the UNO said. “The building owner has been asked to demolish the ninth floor.”
Meanwhile, shop owners said the report run by Ekushey Television Savar Correspondent Nazmul Huda about cracks was completely baseless and motivated.
Owners association former General Secretary Uttam Saha and account keeper Abdul Hoq toldbdnews24.com that Nazmul had merely recorded a video of plaster coming off.
“Later he showed the video to building owner Oli Ahmad and our association leaders threatening to air the video if he was not paid Tk 500,000.”
The shop owners say that the journalist had published the news because he was not paid the money.
They were pelting stones at the house of Nazmul’s in-laws located near the building.
Source: Bd news24
