Immediate enforcement of the Bangladesh national building code (BNBC) is crucial for preventing building-related disasters and ensuring safety of life, said leading experts at a workshop in the capital yesterday.
Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, a noted civil engineering educator and vice-chancellor of the University of Asia Pacific, called upon the housing and public works ministry to get the updated BNBC approved for enforcement as soon as possible.
Prof Md Zoynul Abedin of civil engineering department of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, said BNBC needs immediate implementation.
The National Alliance for Risk Reduction and Response Initiatives (NARRI), and Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI) jointly organised the workshop on challenges and strategy of building code implementation at a hotel.
HBRI Director Mohammad Abu Sadeque said, “As a standard, good practice, the BNBC should be at the centre of building construction permit process.”
Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain, present as the chief guest, said he would take measures to get the updated BNBC approved within this year.
On when the government would put the mechanism in place for enforcement of the code, he, however, repeatedly evaded the question.
Abiding by the existing BNBC, formulated in 1993, was made legally mandatory in 2006 through amendments to the building construction act.
Besides, the High Court 2010 ordered for instituting a building authority and designating existing relevant authorities within a year for enforcement of the code.
Secretary to the housing and public works ministry Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, chairing the workshop, said it was very sad that the building code has not yet been enforced although complying with it was made legally mandatory.
The BNBC focuses on safe building construction and demolition, safety of life and property, conservation of environment and liability of technical professionals.
It provides for appointment of a required number of building officials to issue building permits and oversee enforcement of the code.
The BNBC of 2006 provides that a new authority would be instituted or some relevant existing authorities would be designated for enforcement of the code.
The updated BNBC of 2015, which has been at the law ministry for vetting for the past one year or so, talks only of a separate independent Building Regulatory Authority with a five-member apex body.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, also spoke.