Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) has taken all preparations to demolish the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) building in Dhaka.
A team of Rajuk entered the illegal 15-storey building on Tuesday (Apr 16) morning.
Around 70 policemen have also taken up positions in front of the building in Hatir Jheel.
Khandakar Oliur Rahman, executive magistrate and also Rajuk director (Admin), said: “We are prepared to demolish the building. There are many organizations in the building, so at first we need to evacuate it.”
“We have given them [institutes that are housed in the building] time till 12pm to remove their valuables,” English daily Dhaka Tribune quoted the director.
The executive magistrate said Rajuk has brought bulldozers and a payloader to knock down the building.
BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman said: “We need a week's time to remove our belongings from the building before it can be demolished.”
In Apr 2018, the Supreme Court ordered the BGMEA building be demolished. According to the order, the building was to be demolished sometime after Apr 12 this year.