Mass awareness about quake risks emphasised

Our Correspondent
SYLHET, Sept 19: Discussants at a seminar said Friday, Bangladesh is in a high risk earthquake zone. Any catastrophic earthquake on the scale of 8.00 Richter may cause severe damage to lives and property in Dhaka, Sylhet, Comilla and Chittagong.
Recent earthquake in Nepal should be an eye opener for all of us. Creating awareness, retrofitting weak structures and life lines like hospital, fire station, electricity and water supply lines etc. should have our priority attention.
Unplanned urbanization and high population densities amplify the vulnerability of the said regions in the country and this can lead to mass deaths and injuries in case of an earthquake.
Organised jointly by the Rotary Club of Islamabad, Chittagong and the Sylhet Press Club it was attended by a number of Rotarians and media people at a hotel in Sylhet Friday night.
The discussion on 'Earthquake hazards: Bangladesh perspective' was told, such disasters cause long term effects and some of them overwhelm the capacity of communities and institutions such as debris management and health facilities to respond efficiently and effectively. Poorly constructed structure and poor knowledge and skills on disaster preparedness and response make the people more vulnerable.
Strict enforcement of Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) is a must, the speakers noted.
Keynote speaker Professor Engineer M Ali Ashraf, head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Southern University of Chittagong also mentioned, like Chittagong more than 70 per cent buildings in Sylhet have been constructed without following the national building code and the rests are only capable to withstand earthquakes of lower intensity, according to several research and survey reports.
Even scores of constructed high-rise commercial and public buildings as well as housing apartments in the city are also located in the 'red zone' of earthquake-prone areas, the speaker added. Most of the buildings in the city and its adjoining areas would be damaged severely or partially if an earthquake occurs in Sylhet.
There should be wide ranged sensitisation among the common people about the possible disasters like earthquake, the speakers asserted.
Rotarians Principal Ataur Rahaman Pir, Ashraf Hossain, Iqbal Hossain and shafiqul Islam ossain Hossain and Sylhet Press Club General Secretary Serajul Islam addressed among others while Sylhet Press Club president Iqbal Siddiquee chaired. Past president of the Rotary Club of Islamabad Islam Uddin conducted the event.    iqbal1527@hotmail.com