A Japanese expert with local engineers conducted the systematic retrofitting construction work in DK Knitwear Ltd – this is for the first time a structurally weak factory building in Bangladesh converted with Japanese retrofitting technology, says a JICA press release. Retrofitting is a technology that could be used to make a vulnerable building earthquake resistant without demolishing it and usually it costs 30% to 40% of the new construction cost of the targeted building. After the tragic incident of Rana Plaza, the Japanese government through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) initiated a project titled “RMG Sector Safe Environment Project” and created a Tk100 crore fund with the Bangladesh Bank for financing the RMG owners to make their building safe for the workers. Under the programme, JICA opened up the doors for the RMG owners to assess their factory buildings as well as to take the opportunity of the provided JICA fund to make the building strengthen. As per the JICA’s call, a total of 300 RMG factories applied for being assessed and 214 selected for the assessment by another JICA’s project called “Capacity Development on Natural Disaster Resistant Techniques of Construction and Retrofitting for Public Buildings (CNCRP)” being implemented by Public Works Department (PWD). The CNCRP project and DK Knitwear Ltd, a sister concern of DK Group, had taken the initiative to conduct the retrofitting by providing soft loan of US$850,000 to the owner. DK Managing Director Syed A.Q.M. Zahid said they were confident of structural safety as the factory was purposefully constructed as an industrial building. JICA’s proposal through BKMEA/BGMEA with low rate of interest for long term grew the interest of the owners for the loan, he said. However, he said it was indeed a mixed feeling where funds were planned for nonproductive heads and price for being compliant were not directly shared by any of the buyers. JICA Senior Representative Hiroyuki Tomita said Japanese technology and experience to make building earthquake resistance can help Bangladesh to strengthen its vulnerable RMG buildings for avoiding any tragic incident like Rana plaza in future.
