The capital development authority RAJUK has shuttered all restaurants in a raid on the Gawsia Twin Peak building in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi.

It also demolished one that was built in breach of the law and cut off power to six more, according to Ehsan Ahmed, authorised RAJUK officer.

The raid started around 10:45am on Monday when RAJUK officials entered the building, he said. Retro Live Kitchen restaurant on the roof was demolished first. RAJUK officials said it was not part of the building’s plans.

Besides, Kavan Signature, Chaap Ghor, Spice & Herbs, Culture & Cuisine, The Pan Pacific Lounge, Meritage Dhaka, White Hall Buffet, The Aristocrat Lounge, Yum Cha District, The Lobby Lounge, Cafe Sao Paulo Limited, Adi Korai Gosto, Cafe Dolce, and Galito's restaurants were raided and subsequently closed.

The building currently accommodates offices on its second and 13th floors, with the rest leased to shops and 15 restaurants.

The building's intended use was disrupted, said Rajuk Executive Magistrate Tazina Sarwar, who was leading the operation.

The building, initially approved for a height of 150 feet, was found to have been illegally extended by an additional 40 feet.

The scrutiny of the building's compliance was prompted by a Facebook post from its architect, Mustapha Khalid Palash, following the deaths of 46 people in a fire at the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage on Bailey Road.

Palash alerted people to the dangers of dining in the restaurants situated in the building, alleging that the constructor, Gawsia Developers Limited, has not been utilising the structure as originally intended.

After inspecting the site on Sunday, Md Hamidul Islam, director of Region-5 at RAJUK, said that the 14-storey commercial building, which includes a basement, was classified as 'F-1 occupancy', meaning it should serve as office space rather than host restaurants.

The situation mirrors that of Green Cozy Cottage, which, despite being an office building, had its spaces rented to restaurants.

The eateries were granted trade licences by the city corporation, while receiving safety clearances from the Fire Service and Civil Defence and the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, according to RAJUK officials.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has initiated a mobile court drive to investigate and address irregularities found at buildings along Dhanmondi's Satmasjid Road.

The operation started at 2:30pm under the supervision of Executive Magistrate Jahangir Alam, according to DSCC spokesperson Abu Naser.