Mayors for clearing CR Dutta Road by Sunday

Dhaka's mayors yesterday asked National Bank Limited (NBL) to clear for traffic by Sunday CR Dutta Road, littered with a billboard and dirt from NBL's under-construction building's foundation pit, the walls of which collapsed multiple times since Wednesday.

“I do not want to know anything...It is your responsibility,” Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon told NBL Managing Director Shamsul Huda Khan at the site in the afternoon, threatening to take “measures” otherwise. 

Talking to journalists there in the morning, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq accused the NBL authorities of not cooperating with him.

On Wednesday, the piling to protect the southern wall of the 50 feet pit, dug to construct four basement floors for the 12-storey NBL Twin Tower near the Sonargaon intersection, partially collapsed.

It caused a portion of the adjoining six-storey Sundarban Hotel's foundation soil, boundary wall, a stretch of footpath, some makeshift shops and an electric pole to cave in and damaged underground gas, water and sewer pipes while 50 guests were evacuated.

On Thursday night, the eastern and northern walls collapsed, taking down the entire length of the footpath, two billboards, one of which fell on the road; and a tree.

Panthapath Road's southern lane and CR Dutta Road have been closed to traffic and people.

City corporations' officials estimate around 1,000 truckloads of sand has been dumped to stabilise the hotel and adjoining area. NBL contractors say another 1,500 truckloads was being poured.