When will Secretariat move to new site, what will happen to current premises?

The Bangladesh Secretariat will move from its current location on Abdul Gani Road to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital, Dhaka, where the old trade fair grounds stand. The government has set a target of starting operations at the new site in 2029.

Once the Secretariat moves, the Dhaka district administration office and subordinate courts, currently located in Old Dhaka, may relocate to the Secretariat’s existing premises. However, the government has yet to make a final decision on the matter.

The Cabinet approved the proposal to relocate the Secretariat at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday afternoon. Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani announced the decision at a press conference in the evening. Earlier, the government had taken an in-principle decision to relocate the Secretariat at a meeting chaired by the prime minister.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, the Public Works Department and the Department of Architecture attended that meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The following day, the Ministry of Housing and Public Works wrote to the Planning Commission, requesting that a project to relocate the Secretariat be included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP). The Cabinet’s approval has now taken the initiative a step further.

Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani said, “The main proposal has been approved, and we have been instructed to proceed with further assessments and reviews. We are aiming to complete the project by 2029. Cost estimates are now being prepared.”

The Cabinet Division said the Bangladesh Secretariat currently occupies 17.57 acres on Abdul Gani Road and comprises 13 buildings. Eight of these buildings were constructed before independence.

The old buildings numbered 1, 2, 3 and 8 were built between 1937 and 1939, while building no. 5 was constructed in 1947. These buildings were not designed to withstand earthquakes.

As Dhaka lies in an earthquake-prone zone, using these structures to accommodate the operations of key government ministries and divisions poses a risk. In addition, the buildings lack sufficient space for officials and employees, disrupting a normal working environment.

The Cabinet Division also said the buildings do not have enough washroom blocks. As the number of officials and employees using the facilities exceeds their capacity, maintaining a hygienic working environment has become difficult.

The existing Bangladesh Secretariat provides approximately 1.876 million square feet of office space. The government needs more than an additional 1 million square feet to meet the growing demand for office space from various ministries and to accommodate ministries and divisions whose offices are located outside the Secretariat complex.

According to the Cabinet Division, following a decision at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), the Department of Architecture prepared a conceptual architectural design for the new Bangladesh Secretariat at the old trade fair grounds in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, in line with Louis I Kahn’s master plan.

Under the proposed design, the government will construct 14 12-storey buildings, including three basement levels, across approximately 31.58 acres at the old trade fair grounds in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

The complex will provide around 3.316 million square feet of space and parking for 3,800 vehicles, including 200 above-ground parking spaces.

The facilities will include a mosque, two multipurpose halls with a capacity of 350 people each, a cafeteria and a post office, among other facilities. The project also allocates approximately 30 per cent of the site for greenery and water bodies.

At the press conference, the cabinet secretary was asked what would happen to the Secretariat’s existing premises after the relocation.

In response, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani said, “Something good may come of it in the future. Administrative and judicial activities take place in Old Dhaka, including the district administration office and subordinate courts. They may move here, or some other offices may be relocated here. However, I cannot say at this stage exactly what will happen.”