Dhaka: The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) complex at Hatirjheel will be demolished in a scientific and modern way, Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim said Wednesday.

‘It won’t be demolished manually as that may pose risk of casualty,’ he told reporters at the secretariat. ‘We’ll take assistance from foreign experts to ensure safety of adjacent areas.’

He said the demolition method will be made clear after April 24, adding that within this time, they will decide which company will be tasked with tearing down the structure. A work order will be issued in the next seven days, reports the UNB.

The government has already held talks with some local companies, the minister said, adding that foreign companies will be brought in if necessary but local companies will get priority.

‘We’ll take necessary measures to avoid accidents. It won’t take more than three months to demolish the building and relocate the debris,’ he added.

As part of its move to dismantle the building, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkah (Rajuk) sealed off the BGMEA complex on Tuesday. 

In 2011, the High Court ordered demolition of the 16-storey building as it was constructed in defiance of relevant laws, calling it a ‘cancer’ in the lake.