Mishap at Grameenphone headquarter building site
Mar 7, 2007
The main entry road to the Bashundhara Residential Area collapsed partially when the shore protection piles of the adjacent boundary line of the under-construction Grameenphone headquarter project deflected during the morning hours of today (Wednesday).
No one was injured during the incident. An adjacent two-storied brick super-structure building, housing the office of a private firm, was also damaged during the incident. Security people and other inmates of the building were advised to vacate the building immediately.
The proposed Grameenphone 9-story headquarter building is located adjacent to the main entrance of the Bashundhara Residential Area. The building project is being constructed by Associated Builders Corporation Limited with Vistaara and Icon Architects (VIA) being the consultant.
Immediately after the incident, a 3-member team of Professors from the Bureau of Research, Testing and Consultation (BRTC) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology visited the spot. BRTC is also the structural design advisers for the entire project.
The BUET team suggested evacuation of the adjacent 2-storied building, immediately securing the utility service lines and taking additional protective measures for the critical areas of the under-construction site.
Grameenphone and the consultants have taken immediate steps as per the suggestions of the BUET experts. The Bashundhara entry road has been temporarily closed and an alternate road nearby has been opened.
As a precaution, Grameenphone has offered to temporarily relocate the residents of another adjacent six-story building, although the BUET team did not find any apparent structural cracks in that building apart from some cracks in the boundary walls and few non-structural building elements resting on ground. The building is on pile foundation and it will be kept under observation for the next two to three weeks period.
The BUET team also visited the nearby HURDCO School and found it safe for use. Grameenphone officials and others also met the school management to reassure about the safety of the building.
Grameenphone regrets this untoward incident and the inconvenience it has caused to people in the area. It expresses gratitude to the Fire Service team and other law enforcement agency officials, representatives of WASA, DESCO and Titas Gas who rushed to secure the spot. Grameenphone would also like to thank the neighbors and the Bashundhara authority for their support and cooperation during this incident.
Information Department
Grameenphone Ltd.
Phone: 9882990