The main building of Barishal City Corporation (BCC) has turned structurally unsafe, with widening cracks and falling plaster raising fears of a potential collapse.
The decades-old structure, originally built for a lower load capacity, now handles heavy daily footfall, putting thousands of officials and visitors at risk, officials and service seekers said.
Constructed in 1985 as a first-class municipality office, the building was later upgraded when Barishal Municipality became a city corporation in 2002, but no new structure has been built since, according to BCC officials.
The original one-storey building has been expanded into a three-storey structure over time, without adequate structural planning, increasing pressure on the foundation.
Visible cracks have appeared across walls, beams and columns over the past five years, with the damage now reaching alarming levels.
“The building was designed for two floors, but it has been extended to three, effectively overloading the structure,” said Barishal City Corporation Architect Saidur Rahman.
“This makes it highly vulnerable, especially in the event of an earthquake, and it is no longer safe to remain here,” he added.
The building, which initially had 35 rooms, has been expanded to around 70 rooms to accommodate operations, now serving about 1,600 staff and handling nearly 4,500 daily visitors.
Officials said no original structural design documents for the building could be traced.
“ We have found cracks even in the main columns and beams, raising serious concerns that the building could collapse at any time, ” said Barishal City Corporation Executive Engineer Md Abul Bashar.
The situation has worsened in recent months due to additional pressure on the building after parts of an extended section were damaged by fire during political unrest, forcing departments to relocate into the main structure.
Further structural damage was also reported following recent earthquakes, intensifying fears among employees and visitors.
Falling plaster has become a near-daily occurrence, posing constant risk to contractors, staff and citizens visiting the office.
“We have to come here regularly for work, but the building is in a fragile state, and it feels unsafe even without an earthquake,” said a contractor at the premises.
Service seeker Liton Akon said cracks are visible in many areas and urgent repair or relocation is needed.
In response, BCC has sent a proposal to the ministry to construct a new city building on around six acres of land at Nathullabad, where the central bus terminal is planned to be relocated.
“Everyone working here is at risk, and we urgently need a new building,” said Barishal City Corporation Chief Engineer Humayun Kabir.
BCC Administrator Advocate Bilkis Akter Jahan Shirin said a plan for a 15-storey modern city building has already been submitted to the Planning Commission.
“The current structure has been damaged by fire and earthquakes, and it was extended without proper planning, which has made the situation worse,” she said.
“We hope the new project will be approved soon to ensure safety and uninterrupted services,” she added.
Barishal City Corporation spans 58 square kilometres and serves a population of nearly 500,000 across 30 wards.
