UIU seminar highlights urgent need for earthquake-resilient buildings

The Department of Civil Engineering of United International University (UIU) organised a seminar titled Earthquake Risk and its Mitigation in Urban Areas of Bangladesh on 22 November 2025 at the UIU Campus in United City, Madani Avenue, Dhaka.

Professor Dr Mehedi Ahmed Ansari of the Department of Civil Engineering and founder director of the BUET-Japan Institute of Disaster Prevention and Urban Safety (BUET-JIDPUS) attended the seminar as chief guest. Prof Dr Md Mujibur Rahman of the Department of Civil Engineering, UIU, and director of the Centre for Smart Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability (CSIRS-UIU) presided over the event, while Dr Rumana Afrin, head of the department, delivered the vote of thanks.

In his address, the chief guest discussed Bangladesh's current earthquake risk profile based on geological and geotechnical data, and outlined engineering measures to enhance building resilience. He elaborated on the Detailed Engineering Assessment (DEA) process, explaining how systematic structural evaluations help identify vulnerabilities and guide necessary interventions. He also stressed the need to retrofit older structures to improve their ability to withstand seismic forces. Additionally, he introduced the colour-coded RMG Initial Building Assessment Summary as a rapid tool for identifying high-risk buildings requiring urgent attention.

The seminar offered students an in-depth understanding of earthquake assessment and resilient construction practices. By linking DEA, retrofitting techniques and practical evaluation methods, the event highlighted the importance of safety-focused, evidence-based engineering and prepared students to become responsible and competent civil engineers.

Faculty members, students, officials, academicians, journalists and other distinguished guests attended the programme.