Earthquakes are now the biggest fear in the country. Compared to other natural disasters, an earthquake feels much more terrifying because it happens suddenly, lasts for a short time, and destroys everything around.
For the last few days, experts have warned that a very strong earthquake may occur anywhere in the country, but no one knows when it will actually happen. This uncertainty has created fear in everyone’s mind.
But even after knowing all this, one question remains: “Is there nothing we can do during an earthquake?”
The answer is — yes, there is.The best way to save your life during a major earthquake is to go to an open space.
But imagine this: a big earthquake suddenly starts, your building begins to shake, you panic and try to run outside into an open place — but you realize there is no open space near you. Or you live on the 8th or 10th floor, so you don’t even have time to run down the stairs.
Scary, isn’t it? This is exactly what the people of Dhaka may face — a struggle to survive because there is nowhere to go.
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Any city with more than 10 million people is called a megacity, and Dhaka’s population is almost 40 million. Very few cities in the world have such a population.
Because of this huge population, everything in Dhaka has extreme demand for food, clothing, housing and everything. This extreme demand has turned Dhaka into an overcrowded city. Almost every empty space has been filled with factories, tall buildings, and restaurants. There are no open fields, only concrete structures. Even the roads are full of narrow lanes, tall buildings, and factories everywhere. This has made life more dangerous in Dhaka.
BUET Professor Mehedi Ahmed Ansary has said that around 60% of buildings in Dhaka are built in a way that increases structural risk during a major earthquake meaning they can collapse. Other researchers also say the same thing: about 80% of buildings in Dhaka were not built following proper rules, especially in Old Dhaka. Many of these buildings were listed as risky years ago, but they were never rebuilt or repaired. So these buildings can collapse at any time during a strong earthquake.
This is the sad reality of Dhaka city. The building you live in may not be safe, and even if you run outside, there is no open ground. If you go onto the road, tall buildings stand on both sides, along with electric poles and cables.
In short, Dhaka cannot guarantee your safety during a big earthquake.
Just like the government cannot stop floods when low-lying areas go underwater, the government also cannot help Dhaka much during a major earthquake.
But why is Dhaka in this condition?
Who is responsible?
It is not only the fault of population pressure.The blame also goes to:those who built buildings without following the rules, those officials who took bribes and looked the other way, the owners who occupied government land illegally, and the governments that failed to ensure public safety.
I remember the 2015 Kathmandu earthquake. Nepal was not as densely populated as Dhaka. At that time, Nepal’s population was about 15 million. Yet, Nepal’s damage was extensive. On April 25, 2015, an estimated 9,000 people in Nepal died and about 22,000 were injured in that 7.8-magnitude earthquake. About 490,000 houses were completely destroyed and about 265,000 more houses were partially damaged. The consequences were even more painful. There was a crisis in hospitals, schools, housing, and food. All sectors, including business, shops, construction, agriculture, and tourism, were hit.
Think about it this time: Dhaka has a population of 40 million. So what will be the consequences if Dhaka plays a major role? If not now, then at least for the future, the government should take quick action.
When a bad practice becomes normal in a society, it becomes difficult to remove but not impossible. Dhaka’s situation is similar. Fixing everything will be difficult, but possible if done slowly and properly.
The government should: appoint honest officials. Those who take bribes will not just turn a blind eye, but will instead demolish any building that is being built or is being built without following the rules, recover all illegally occupied lands, properly manage the wires and electric poles across the city, and make the public aware because sometimes local people protest when an illegal structure is being demolished.
And if an earthquake suddenly strikes now, the people of Dhaka cannot do much.
So instead of panicking, the safest option is to take shelter under a strong bed or table, which can protect you from falling debris. This gives you the best chance of survival as a citizen of Dhaka.
