Lives lost at workplace
Assuring that buildings are safe under all circumstances may be too much to ask for, but that they are safe to live and work under normal conditions is not asking for too much.
The owner of the building will need to be taken to task for designing and erecting a building without adequate technical advice, and not seeking government approval for construction.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. It is also the duty of the government to ensure that all buildings are safe for the purpose they are used. In Dhaka this responsibility lies with Rajuk. It is not enough for Rajuk to say that the owner did not seek building permission. A nine storied building does not get raised in one day. If within that time surveillance was not possible then institutions like Rajuk which are entrusted with the responsibility to control building construction needs to be reviewed. Institutions change according to needs, new institutions are established . But Rajuk remains the same, in spite of its inability to ensure construction control. Surveillance must be introduced at a more local and community level.
It is time for the government to bring discipline in this area for safety and security of human lives.