High time to improve Bangladesh’s earthquake preparedness
Bangladesh must take action to make buildings, roads, and other infrastructure capable enough to withstand an earthquake
A devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria a few months ago, causing widespread destruction to human life and the landscape. Tragically, over 44,400 people died, and the damage to the affected countries' landscapes was severe.
Moreover, there has been an uptick in earthquakes around the world such as Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Croatia, and some other European countries. Closer to home, on 16 June this year, a mild earthquake jolted Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh.
Experts believe that the occurrence of many of the recent earthquakes is linked to climate change, which also makes the lives and landscapes of many regions in many countries vulnerable. As a result, experts are urging governments and people to take immediate precautions to raise public awareness about earthquakes, particularly in megacities like Dhaka.
The Ecological Threat Report (ETR) (2022) placed Dhaka in 4th place among the 20 most unsustainable megacities. This mega capital city accommodates more than 20 million people; therefore, in the event of an earthquake, the loss of lives and damage is likely to be unprecedented – mainly because there are very few open spaces for city dwellers to retreat to during an earthquake or in a post-earthquake situation.
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From a business standpoint, the city is home to the headquarters of almost every company operating in Bangladesh. The damage can devastate the country's current economic growth. Moreover, the distribution of medical and food support will also be difficult in a post-earthquake disaster because the roads in Bangladeshi cities are not well-connected and are of poor design.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), earthquakes can result in ground shaking, soil liquefaction, landslides, fissures, avalanches, fires and tsunamis. And, the extent of destruction and harm caused by an earthquake depends on its magnitude, intensity and duration.
It is high time for the country to prepare skilled manpower to respond immediately to any devastating earthquake in Dhaka. This preparation will not only help the country respond to an earthquake disaster but also make it more resilient to other disasters such as floods, cyclones, draughts, etc.
However, there needs to be updated data on all the city buildings due to unplanned urbanisation. In this regard, the most recent report of the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre 2020 reported that 250,000 buildings in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet are extremely vulnerable to earthquakes. And, the number has increased in the last three years.
It is important to note that these buildings are used for residential, business and educational purposes. To reiterate, it is urgent to make the necessary preparations to reduce the damage from a potential earthquake in the future. In this regard, educational institutions can play a significant role in developing skills and awareness among people.
Firstly, training could be given to the students and staff, especially at the college and university level, so that they know how to rescue, evacuate, use first aid, use fire extinguishers, etc. To motivate people to join the training regarding the earthquake, the government should issue certificates, badges, awards, etc. As a result, the participation of mass populations will dramatically increase in such development and preparatory programmes to make the country more resilient to earthquakes.
Moreover, the architecture universities and city corporations, which provide design and other services to the building construction industry, should also be strict in maintaining quality to ensure the resilience of the buildings. Moreover, Bangladesh's real estate development companies should also be given strict instructions to ensure maximum quality in constructing buildings, roads, and residential areas for earthquake resilience.
Bangladesh aims to be a developed country by 2041. In this regard, recent massive economic and infrastructural developments show the country is on its way to achieving the developed country's dream within the next two decades.
However, we will not be able to achieve developed country status unless we make significant investments in earthquake and climate change resilience because these will undoubtedly affect our country in the near future according to experts' forecast.
Dr Md Asadul Islam is an Assistant Professor at BRAC Business School, BRAC University, Bangladesh.
Dr Mahfuzur Rahman is an Associate Professor at Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln, UK
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
