In the wake of the devastating earthquake that has left tens of thousands dead in Syria and Turkey, questions are rightfully being raised of how prepared Dhaka is in the wake of such a catastrophe becoming a reality -- and these are questions that do not have hopeful answers.
As discussed by experts, an earthquake of significant magnitude would leave hundreds of thousands dead in the capital city, leading us to question: At what cost has Dhaka's unchecked urbanization occurred?
Our history of improper construction practices has left Dhaka's entire infrastructure with little room to breathe, making it particularly susceptible to a major earthquake. While we have been lucky so far, in the wake of the events in Turkey and Syria, it is about time we treat the issue of our urbanization with the seriousness it warrants.
The very minimum that has to be ensured moving forward is compliance when we are constructing, especially when it comes to Dhaka's high-rise buildings which require proper building clearances.
Moreover, as experts also stated, the unplanned electricity transmission and gas lines would essentially turn the entire city into a fire pit -- resulting in the loss of even more lives.
While these are indeed very grim forecasts, it is the lack of foresight and awareness that causes the most damage anywhere when disasters strike.
Bangladesh has done an admirable job with regard to cyclone preparedness, but the same cannot be said for having sufficient preparations being in place for earthquakes.
Moreover, it is imperative that the authorities concerned slowly but surely correct the issues that increase our susceptibility to these natural disasters.
Failure to do so could result in the single greatest loss of life Bangladesh has witnessed, derailing any and all progress the nation has made over the past few decades.
