Cracks appear at newly built Secretariat building after quake

Cracks have developed at a newly built secretariate building after the recent earthquake. UNB_11zon

Cracks have appeared in several places in Building No. 1 of the Secretariat following Friday’s earthquake, officials said.

The 20-storey building, housing the Cabinet Division and the Ministry of Public Administration, is located on the northwestern edge of the Secretariat premises

Engineers from the Public Works Department said the cracks, mainly in the 5-inch brick walls, are not structurally dangerous and will be repaired soon.

Similar cracks were also reported in some other buildings.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.7, struck Narsingdi on Friday morning, shaking the entire country but particularly Dhaka. Ten people were killed, including children, and more than 600 injured. Two mild tremors were felt in the capital afterwards.

During an inspection Monday, cracks were observed on the north wall of room 930 and the front wall of room 100, both on the 10th floor of Building 1, where Cabinet Division officials and employees work.

One official, speaking anonymously, said the cracks have caused panic, especially as the building, constructed at a cost of Tk 461 crore, has only been in use since May, i.e. hardly six months. - UNB