Earthquake preparedness
Moinul Alam Eskaton, Dhaka
The devastating earthquake jolting India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and killing thousands of people has left lessons to be learnt by Bangladesh. Bangladesh's geographical position has made the country vulnerable to earthquakes. As there had not been any major earthquake since more than a century, the risk has become more tangible. The way high buildings are growing in the capital it could be presumed that there would be huge loss of life and property in case of an earthquake.But are we prepared enough to face the immediate aftermath of such a quake? Do we have an adequate number of rescue workers with experience and are they equipped with modern rescue tools? The condition of our rescue operation was reflected when a garment factory collapsed in Savar and an antique house collapsed in Shankhari Bazar. On both the occasions it took a long time to remove the debris and rescue the survivors. The rescue work was conducted almost manually. The country's lone seismic observatory is situated at Chittagong which is almost a century old. The previous government and the present government had taken steps to establish a few seismic observation centres in the country. The buildings have also been constructed but, mysteriously enough, the costly equipment have never arrived. We are not prepared as well to treat the injured and to bury the bodies of the dead. We have to always remember that following a quake hundreds of high rise buildings would collapse in Dhaka and the situation has to be managed simultaneously over a wide area in other parts of the country. Every time following an earthquake there are seminars where expert opinions are expressed but after that everything goes silent. There is no regulation over growing high risers and also no planning of effective rescue management. Earthquake is a type of natural disaster which is beyond any type of forecasting. So, we have to be prepared to face it any time. Every year a large part of our budget is spoiled due to corruption and misuse. But we are reluctant to pay attention to such a need. The lessons have been left by the Oct 8 quake. Shall our government and the authorities concerned learn something from it?
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