Uttara crane accident: Committee finds contractor company’s negligence

The probe committee - formed over the deaths of five people after a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project girder crushed their car - has found the contractor company's negligence in the tragic incident in Uttara.

The primary investigation report said that the contractor, China Gezhouba (Group) Corporation (CGGC), is responsible for the crane accident.

"The consulting firm gives the work plan a day before carrying out this kind of work. The contractor company was doing the work without any action plan as they did not notify the consultant before. That's why the contractor company is responsible for the accident," Secretary of the Road Transport Department ABM Amin Ullah Noori said while disclosing the primary investigation report at the Secretariat Tuesday (16 August).

Mentioning that the weight of the girder was 70 tonnes and the capacity of the crane is 80 tonnes, the secretary said, "They have worked with this crane before. The contractor claimed it was routine work. But this is actually not a routine task."

He said the project director, project manager and consultant should have been informed before doing such type of work but the contractor did not follow the procedure.  

"They could at least inform the traffic police to keep the road closed," he added.

He said that construction work was supposed to be halted on 15 August as it was a holiday.

Replying to a query about whether any action will be taken against the project officials, the secretary said, "All will be served show cause notice by today. Action will be taken against them if they are found responsible in the final investigation report."

On Monday (15 August), five members of a family were killed as a 50-60 tonnes girder of BRT-3 Elevated Expressway fell on their car, smashing it to the ground, at Uttara's Jasimuddin road in the capital.

Two passengers – a newly married couple Hridoy, 26 and Riya Moni, 21 – were rescued, but the rest of the passengers – Jharna, 28, her two children Zakaria, 2, and Jannat, 6, and Hridoy's father Rubel, 50, and his mother-in-law Fahima, 45, died on the spot.

An eyewitness of the incident said the car was demolished within a blink of an eye and blood, mixed with the fuel from the car's tank, was oozing out from the car.

When the BRT authorities were relocating the girder, they set up no roadblocks or security perimeter and as a result vehicles were moving on the road as usual.