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The Borak Real Estate Company Ltd constructed 5-star Hotel Sheraton on city corporation land in Dhaka’s Banani area following all government laws, regulations, and administrative procedures.
Prior approval was taken from all relevant departments and organisations of the government, including the local government ministry and city corporation.
However, the sad truth is, a vested quarter is deliberately trying to tarnish the good image of Hotel Sheraton and Borak Real Estate by spreading misleading, incomplete and incorrect information.
Apart from this, a statement recently given by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) chairman to various media is also an expression of self-contradiction. He claimed, “The high-rise Hotel Sheraton poses risks to aircraft take-offs and landings.”
His argument is ridiculous. Because according to the CAAB Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS), Hotel Sheraton complies with the Conical Surface Area limit.
The conical surface height is set between 150-500 feet. Buildings up to 500 feet high can be constructed on this surface. In that case, the height of Hotel Sheraton is much less than the maximum limit.
The hotel authorities believe that such a misleading statement by the highest level executive of CAAB is an attempt to deliberately tarnish Sheraton’s reputation.
A clear idea about the fact that the reputation of Hotel Sheraton is being tarnished deliberately can be obtained from the following information.
According to the OLS, the SKA Tower is within the Air Funnel Zone, which is only 8 km away from the airport. The height of the building is approved up to 302 feet. Similarly, Ahmed Tower has been given 338 feet. It is also only 6.20 km from the airport.
Le Méridien Hotel in Kurmitola is just 2 km from the airport, and its height is 225 feet. Crowne Plaza is located at Gulshan-2 which is 7 km from the airport. Its height is 302 feet.
The height of Hilton Hotel – which is under construction at Gulshan-2 – is given as 499 feet.
Meanwhile, Purbachal's Legacy Tower is 9.50 km away from the airport, marked as a red zone for aircraft take-offs and landings. Its height is given as 1,552 feet.
So it is clear that a vested quarter is spreading misinformation targeting Hotel Sheraton for nefarious purposes.
OLS guideline on max heights
Zero altitude in strip, runway and red zone; 0-150 feet altitude in inner approach area; 150-500 feet altitude in outer approach are; maximum 150 feet in inner horizontal area; maximum 500 feet in outer horizontal area; 0-150 feet on transitional surfaces, and 150-500 feet on conical surface are allowed.
Hotel Sheraton is located in the Conical Surface Area according to the OLS introduced by CAAB. The maximum height of this area is fixed at 500 feet. Sheraton, despite being only 302 feet tall, has become the victim of blatant misinformation, hotel authorities believe.
Since the location belongs to the city corporation, the city authority is supposed to take permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) as per regulations. In this case, Borak Real Estate, the building’s construction company, has no responsibility.
The construction of this building was completed in 2014 with a partnership agreement with the city corporation. This area was then located within the Tejgaon Airport area.
Later, in 2018, the CAAB redefined the Air Funnel Zone, defining the maximum limit of how tall buildings can be constructed in different areas.
When approached for comments on the issue, CAAB Chairman Air Commodore Sadikur Rahman Chowdhury said, “The RAJUK has been asked about the height clearance limit. Demolition of any building is not our job.
“Legal proceedings are underway regarding that building [Hotel Sheraton] in Banani. The height limit we had permitted, and whether construction has violated this limit, would be defined by the court and RAJUK.”
When asked that there are other buildings in the Air Funnel Zone, then why is only Sheraton being accused of rule violations, Sadikur declined to comment on the matter.
Commenting on the matter, RAJUK Chief Town Planner (CTP) Ashraful Islam said, “The location belongs to the city corporation, and they gave their approval. RAJUK has no jurisdiction here. In case of demolition, the city corporation will have to take responsibility.
Hotel Sheraton at a glance
The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) vetted the structural design of a 30-storey building, which was then approved by a city corporation authorised officer (chief engineer) as per regulations.
Borak Real Estate then built the 28-storey Sheraton on 60 katha land owned by the DNCC.
Subsequently, the then authorised official – the chief engineer of Dhaka City Corporation – on June 25, 2007, approved the design of the 30-storey building. The building was constructed after vetting of structural design by BUET on February 12, 2007.
In 2007, the city corporation secured clearance for the construction of the 30 floors from a range of pertinent organisations, including the city corporation, DMP, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Titas Gas, Department of Environment, DESCO, and Dhaka WASA.
Tenders were invited on April 10, 2004, for the construction of the building on 60 katha land as per the RFP of the city corporation.
In 2011, the then DNCC chief executive officer sent a letter to the local government secretary stating that the construction of 30 floors – an increase from 15 – had been approved by the then mayor Annisul Huq.
