Checking building code violation

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Khalilur Rahman
Amid widespread violation of national building code, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again called upon all concerned to follow construction rules strictly in order to stay safe during strong earthquake. She was speaking at a meeting at the National Disaster Management Council at her office on March 19, a day after an earthquake of 4.6 magnitude on Richter Scale, shook Dhaka city and other parts of the country. Epicentre of the tremor was at Nawabganj, barely 20 kilometres from the metropolis, and as such the city dwellers felt the jolt rather severely and got panicky. The Prime Minister in the meeting laid emphasis on creating mass awareness about earthquakes and encouraging people to follow building construction rules.
The Financial Express in a report published in its issue of March 19 quoted a study report prepared by the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) under the Ministry of Food and Disaster management in 2009 as saying that 100,000 people may die and numerous others need hospitalization in case a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in nearby Madhupur fault hits Dhaka city. The CDMP report identified 4,00,000 buildings in three major cities - Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet - as extremely vulnerable to earthquakes and would suffer irreparable damages in the event of major tremor. According to a press report, Professor Syed Humayun Akhter of the Geology Department of Dhaka University says that Madhupur fault line is very active and too close to Dhaka. Therefore, it poses serious threat to people residing in Dhaka city. He pointed out that proper safety meas- ures have not been taken in constructing high-rise buildings in the capital. This has turned the metropolis into one of the riskiest cities in the globe.
It is indeed alarming that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a survey has also found that most of the buildings of the Dhaka city are not earthquake-resistant. About 53% of the buildings have weak foundation, 41% are unstable and 34% possess weak pillars and columns. Amid this scenario the concerned authorities must exercise utmost caution to check the violation of building code so that the area of hazards does not further expand with the constructions of new faulty buildings.
Early last year, Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr. Mohammad Abdur Razzaque had announced that the government was formulating a policy to make it mandatory under the law for construction of each and every building, both in rural and urban areas, in strict conformity with the Bangladesh National Building Code with a view to minimising losses in the event of tremors.
The minister had also referred to measures so far taken by the government to minimize losses if strong earthquake hits country. He said that his ministry has already procured equipment at a cost of Taka 590 million for conducting search and rescue operation. Procurement of more equipment worth Taka 1.64 billion was underway. Moreover, 64 thousand urban community volunteers were trained to undertake search and rescue operation and provide first aid.
Earlier, on another occasion, the food and disaster management minister sounded a note of caution that any earthquake measuring six on the Richter Scale could be disastrous for the country. Dr. Mohammad Abdur Razzaque said Bangladesh also faces Tsunami threat because four active sources are located in the Bay of Bengal. These may generate earthquake with a magnitude of 7+ on the Richter Scale. In 1990 the UN conducted a study in which Dhaka was shown as the most vulnerable city, followed by Tehran.
Improper piling, faulty construction, use of inferior quality materials and violation of building code have been found behind the collapse of many buildings in the city in the recent past. Most of the collapsed buildings have one thing in common, that is, the structures were raised on wetlands. In order to save money the developers hardly lay foundation at the required depth.
Under the prevailing situation, the relevant government agencies must act in a coordinated manner and ensure that construction rules are strictly followed as per Prime Minister's latest instruction. Side by side, the work on retrofitting of vulnerable buildings should be undertaken forthwith to minimize loss to public life and property in the event of a major natural calamity. (E-mail: khalilbdh@gmail.com)