TDS Desk:

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said that the recent earthquake signals the possibility of significant damage, and therefore, the country must be prepared.

She urged people not to panic, but to begin taking practical steps toward readiness.

She made these remarks on Monday afternoon at a seminar and discussion session held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in Ramna, Dhaka.

The event, titled “Preparedness and Actions to Reduce Earthquake Risk,” was organised by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk). Industrial Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan also attended the program.

“We have faced many disasters,” Syeda Rizwana Hasan said. “There are very few nations in the world like ours that can recover within a month after a major flood. So this too (an earthquake), Insha’Allah, we will be able to confront together.”

She noted that nature has given ample warning. Earthquakes have been occurring repeatedly over the past several years, she said, but never before have people been as frightened as they are now. Public fear will only ease when people see the administration coming directly to their neighborhoods to assess risks and take necessary actions.

Speaking about the structural vulnerability of buildings in the capital, she said Rajuk and the city corporations must act firmly if needed. Personal property rights cannot be used as an excuse to obstruct risk assessments. In the interest of public safety, Rajuk must do this work, and she suggested that the agency be granted special authority if required.

She also pointed out that chemical warehouses make Old Dhaka particularly dangerous. Almost every house in the area contains risky chemical factories, she said, and no effective steps have been taken so far to relocate them. These warehouses must be removed permanently and without delay. Whether business owners agree or not is secondary, people’s safety is more important, she said.

Referring to the smaller aftershocks that followed the 5.7-magnitude earthquake, she said she believes the immediate danger has passed for now. She advised people not to panic, but to stay prepared.