Do recent earthquakes pose any risk to Bangladesh’s mineral resource extraction?
The effects of earthquakes can also extend to critical infrastructure needed for mineral extraction and energy generation, says Professor Golam Moinuddin of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at JU
Petrobangla has temporarily suspended all well-drilling and seismic survey work by its subsidiary companies for 48 hours as a precaution following the recent earthquakes and aftershocks.
This has raised a wider question: could the recent seismic activity pose any risk to the extraction of gas, oil or other underground mineral resources in Bangladesh?
Experts believe that while Bangladesh's underground mineral reserves are safe from recent earthquakes, surface-level extraction, processing, and power infrastructure face risks, particularly if structural standards or safety protocols are weak.
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Prof Md Shakhawat Hossain of Jahangirnagar University's Department of Geological Sciences, an earthquake specialist, said the recent tremors pose no risk to underground mineral reserves.
"There is no possibility of any damage or loss to the reserves of gas, oil or other mineral resources in Bangladesh due to the earthquake. The idea that these resources will escape or be lost from underground because of an earthquake is a misconception," he said.
He explained that while some localised surface-level damage may occur—particularly to installations such as processing plants or pipelines—deep-lying gas or oil reservoirs remain secure.
"These facilities may be damaged if they are not built with proper precautions, maintenance and design. However, the gas or oil fields located deep underground in Bangladesh will not be destroyed by an earthquake," he added.
Prof Sajal Chowdhury, head of Architecture at CUET and convenor of the National Conference on Resilient Architecture Towards Sustainable Bangladesh 2024, said the impact of earthquakes extends beyond buildings and can involve materials stored within industrial environments.
"The impact of earthquakes on Bangladesh's built environment is not limited only to buildings. We have many types of chemicals here. Harmful elements that can react during an earthquake may spread," he said.
He added that structural risk persists largely because of corruption and weak enforcement of building codes.
"We say many things—'this must be done, that must be done'—but strong initiatives are missing. Even though structural codes exist, corruption in the field makes it difficult to ensure safety in existing buildings," he said.
Professor Golam Moinuddin of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at JU said the effects of earthquakes can also extend to critical infrastructure needed for mineral extraction and energy generation.
He referred to the temporary shutdown of the Ghorashal power plant following the recent tremors, reported as a safety measure.
"These are key point installations—critical lifeline elements. If a major disaster occurs in such a centre and electricity remains off for a long time, it will affect the entire country," he said.
"International examples show the scale of such risks. The first and largest damage from the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami occurred at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, and the contamination spread even to the western coast of Canada."
He added that while Bangladesh's nuclear facilities are not yet fully operational, damage to diesel, gas or fuel-fired power plants could severely disrupt the economy.
Another dimension of the discussion involves whether mineral extraction itself interacts with earthquake-related risks.
Rifat-Ur-Rahman, a teacher in the Sociology Department at Rabindra University, said there is some relationship between extraction activities and seismic vulnerability.
"The risk of earthquakes is somewhat related to the extraction of minerals and mine resources. Extraction of coal, gas and other minerals is ongoing in various parts of the country," he said.
He noted that scientific studies show aftershocks may occur following an earthquake, some of which can occasionally be stronger than the main tremor.
"Therefore, it is necessary to temporarily suspend important mining or gas extraction work and conduct a safety evaluation," he added.
The expert view is broadly consistent: Bangladesh's underground mineral reserves are not at risk from the recent earthquakes, but surface-level infrastructure involved in extraction, processing and power generation could face hazards, especially if structural standards or safety protocols are weak.
