Khulna’s tremor should shake us into action

Yesterday’s 5.4-magnitude earthquake in Satkhira is yet another warning that Bangladesh cannot afford complacency. The tremor, felt across several districts, including Dhaka and even Kolkata, triggered panic as people rushed out of homes, offices and schools. Buildings shook, and some were damaged. Just a day earlier, a 3.2-magnitude quake struck Kaliganj in Jhenaidah, neighbouring Satkhira. In the past 27 days alone, nine earthquakes have hit the country.

The immediacy of these events makes it clear that our first priority must be to strengthen emergency response capacity. Investing in an effective early warning system could provide crucial seconds for evacuation and allow essential systems to shut down. We need specialised, well-equipped urban search and rescue teams, which means training thousands of civilian first responders.

Coordination must also improve between civil authorities, the armed forces and medical services. The government should run sustained awareness campaigns through radio, television and digital platforms, alongside regular community and institutional drills.

Beyond immediate response, a fundamental step is conducting a modern, nationwide seismic survey. Bangladesh’s last major seismic mapping was done in 1979. While major fault lines have been identified, many internal faults remain unmapped. A precise, updated seismological map is essential for realistic risk assessment and planning.

At least half of Dhaka’s buildings could collapse in a major quake. Experts have long stressed the need to strictly enforce the national building code, penalising violations in design and construction quality. Here, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), the primary regulatory authority, must fulfil its mandate. A glance at Dhaka’s skyline shows how unplanned urbanisation has flourished under its watch.

The greatest danger lies in old and poorly constructed buildings, particularly in dense areas. In November last year, RAJUK identified around 300 small and large buildings in Dhaka as vulnerable following earthquakes. We would like to know what has been done about this so far.

The government’s plan should include comprehensive structural safety audits, identification of high-risk schools, hospitals and residential blocks, and phased retrofitting programmes. Retrofitting is costly; incentives or subsidies may be necessary to help private owners strengthen their properties. Yet the cost of inaction would be far greater.

All new construction—public and private—must incorporate earthquake-resistant techniques. Engineers, architects and contractors require training in updated standards. Countries such as Japan, the United States, and Turkey have demonstrated that strictly enforced modern building codes save lives.

Preparedness demands investment and strategic planning. But we cannot be lackadaisical about a threat that could claim thousands of lives. The recent tremors in Khulna and other places are warnings. We cannot prevent earthquakes, but we can prevent them from becoming national catastrophes.