Chapter 2 — Definitions

6. Definitions.In this Code, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, ACCESSORY USE means any use subordinate to the major use which is normally incidental to the major use. ALTERATION means any change, addition or modification in construction such as structural, dimensional, or any removal of any part of a building or any change to or closing of any required means of ingress or egress or a change to the fixtures or equipment or any change in land use or occupancy or use. APPLICANT means a person, a firm, a company, a corporation, or a government, semi-government or non-government agency who intends to undertake any work regulated by this Code and who has filed an application to the Building Official for this purpose in a form prescribed in the Code. APPROVED means approved by the Authority. APPROVED PLAN means the set of plans, designs and specifications of building submitted to the Authority as per provision of this Code and duly approved and sanctioned by the Authority. ARCHITECT means a person who has a Bachelor Degree in Architecture and is a member of the Institute of Architects, Bangladesh (IAB). AUTHORITY means the Bangladesh Building Regulatory Authority. AUTHORIZED means BUILDING OFFICIAL. OFFICER BASEMENT means a floor of a building more than 50 percent of which is situated at a depth of 1 m or more below crown of the main entry road. BUILDING means any permanent or semi-permanent structure which is constructed or erected for human habitation or for any other purpose and includes but not limited to the foundation, plinth, walls, floors, roofs, stairs, chimneys, fixed platform, verandah, balcony, cornice, projections, extensions, annexes etc. The term building will also include the sanitary, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, appurtenances and all other building service installations which are constructed or erected as an integral part of a building.

BUILDING LINE means the line up to which the plinth of a building may lawfully extend. Also known as SETBACK LINE. BUILDING OFFICIAL means a person who is the jurisdictional administrator of this Code appointed by the Authority. COMMITTEE means a Building Construction Committee constituted for any area in the prescribed manner, if necessary. CONSTRUCT means ERECT. CONVERSION means the change in occupancy or premises to any occupancy or use requiring new occupancy permit. COVERED AREA means the ground area above the plinth level which is covered by a building structure. The covered area of a building shall exclude gardens, wells, cornice, sunshade, pergola, septic tank, soak well, unpaved uncovered water body, fountains, drainage structures, boundary wall, gates, porch, uncovered staircase, watchman's cabin, detached pump house, garbage chutes and other uncovered utility structures. DEVELOPMENT means carrying out construction of buildings, engineering, mining or other operations in, or over or under land or water. Includes re-development and layout and subdivision of any land. 'To develop' and other grammatical variations shall be interpreted accordingly. DIPLOMA means a person who has a Diploma in Architecture from any ARCHITECT recognized Polytechnic or Technical Institute and is a member of the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB). DIPLOMA means a person who has a Diploma in Engineering from any ENGINEER recognized Polytechnic or Technical Institute and is a member of the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB). DRAIN means a conduit or channel for conveying water, sewage, or other waste liquid for subsequent disposal. DRAINAGE means the disposal of any liquid with a system meant for this purpose. ENGINEER means a person who has a Bachelor Degree in Engineering and is a member of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).

ERECT means to erect a new building or re-erect an existing building or to convert a building from one occupancy to another. Also known as CONSTRUCT.

FORMATION LEVEL means finished ground level of a plot. For hilly areas formation levels shall be the gradient of the plot surface.

GEOTECHNICAL          means engineer with Masters degree in geotechnical
ENGINEER              engineering having at least 2 (two) years of experience in
                      geotechnical design/construction or graduate in civil
                      engineering/engineering geology having 10 (ten) years of
                      experience in geotechnical design/construction.

ENGINEERING           means a person having a postgraduate degree in engineering
GEOLOGIST             geology and having 2 years of experience in geotechnical
                      exploration and interpretation.

GOVERNMENT means the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

GRADE means the lowest point of elevation of the finished surface of the ground, pavement or footpath within the area between the building and the property line or a line 1.5 m from the building whichever is nearer the building.

HEIGHT OF means the vertical distance from a reference datum to the BUILDING highest point of the building which includes all building appurtenances like overhead water tank, machine room, communication tower etc. The reference datum shall be the elevation of the nearest footpath or the elevation of the nearest road or street or public way at its centre line, whichever is higher.

HIGH RISE             means any building which is more than 10-storey or
BUILDING              33 m high from reference datum. Building appurtenances
                      like overhead water tank, machine room, communication
                      tower etc. will not be considered in determining the height.

OCCUPANCY or USE means the purpose for which a building or a part thereof is
GROUP            used or intended to be used.
OCCUPANCY,            means the major or principal occupancy of a building or a
MAJOR                 part thereof which has attached to it subsidiary occupancy or
                      occupancies contingent upon it.

OCCUPIER means a person paying or liable to pay rent or any portion of rent of a building in respect of which the word is used, or compensation or premium on account of occupation of such building and also a rent-free tenant. Does not include a lodger and the words 'occupancy' and 'occupation' do not refer to the lodger. In such cases, the owner himself or herself is living in his or her own building, he or she shall be deemed to be the occupier thereof.

OWNER OF A         means the person, organization or agency at whose expenses
BUILDING           the building is constructed or who has the right to transfer the
                   same and includes his or her heirs, assignees and legal
                   representatives, and a mortgagee in possession.

PERMIT             means a written document or certificate issued by the
                   Authority for carrying out a specific activity under the
                   provisions of this Code.
PLANNER            means a person who has a Bachelor or a Postgraduate Degree
                   in Planning and is a member of the Bangladesh Institute of
                   Planners (BIP).
PLINTH AREA        means the elements from the building bases which are
                   exposed above the formation level to form a covered floor
                   area by joining the peripheral points of the elements which
                   are intersected at finished floor plane at the height of plinth
                   level.
PLINTH LEVEL       means height of a covered finished floor which is not more
                   than 1 m above the formation level nor 1.85 m from the
                   crown of adjacent road level.
PLOT               means SITE.
PLUMBING           means an Engineer (Civil/Mechanical) who has experience in
ENGINEER           the field of plumbing or sanitation.
PUBLIC WAY         means ROAD.
RELIABLE           means RELIABLE REFERENCE.
LITERATURE
RELIABLE           means reference materials such as published article, codes,
REFERENCE          standards or other material judged to be reliable by the
                   professional users and specialists in the subject concerned.
                   This may also be referred to as RELIABLE LITERATURE.

ROAD                means a thoroughfare or public way which has been
                    dedicated or deeded to the public for public use and also
                    known as STREET.
ROAD LINE           means a line defining the side limits of a road.
ROOM HEIGHT         means the clear head room between the finished floor surface
                    and the finished ceiling surface or the underside of the joists
                    or beams, whichever is lower.
SANCTIONED PLAN     means the set of plans, design and specifications of a
                    building submitted to the Authority as per provision of this
                    Code and duly approved and sanctioned by the Authority.
SERVICE ROAD        means a road or lane provided at the rear or side of a plot for
                    service purposes.
SETBACK LINE        means BUILDING LINE.
SITE                means a piece or parcel of land on which a building is
                    intended to be or has already been constructed and also
                    known as PLOT.
SPECIALIST          means a professional who by education, research, practice
                    and experience specializes in a particular branch of a broader
                    discipline and is generally judged to be so by the
                    professional body in the relevant discipline.
STOREY              means the portion of a structure between tops of two
                    successive finished floor surfaces and for the topmost storey,
                    from surface of the finished floor of topmost floor to the top
                    of the roof above.
STOREY, FIRST       means the lowest storey in a building which qualifies as a
                    storey as defined herein; for a building with a basement, it is
                    the storey just above the basements.
STREET              means ROAD.
STREET LEVEL        means the elevation of the centre line of any road or street
                    which a plot fronts.
STREET LINE         means ROAD LINE.
SUPERVISOR,         means an Architect or Engineer or Diploma Architect or
CONSTRUCTION        Diploma Engineer having experience in supervision of
                    construction works.
UNSAFE BUILDING     means a building which, in the opinion of the Building
                    Official, is structurally unsafe, or insanitary, or lacks proper
                    means of ingress or egress, or which constitutes a hazard to
                    life or property.