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The Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) has urged all stakeholders, including commoners, to take precautionary steps in the wake of earthquake in Thailand and Myanmar.
Bangladesh is also located in earthquake-prone area, especially the eastern part of the country, including Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Dhaka, it said.
The FSCD said in a statement issued on Saturday that two strong earthquakes occurred in different parts of Myanmar and Thailand.
The magnitudes of the two earthquakes were 7.7 and 6.4 on the Richter scale respectively, it said, adding that as a result, the two countries have faced considerable damage.
"There is possibility of an earthquake of the same magnitude in Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Dhaka regions," said the FSCD.
In such circumstance, the FSCD has urged the country's people to adopt precautionary measures and issued a nine-point recommendation to create awareness.
It has called for constructing earthquake-resistant buildings abiding by the Bangladesh National Building Code 2020, adopting necessary steps to renovate and strengthen risky and old buildings, and strengthening fire safety systems in all multi-storeyed and commercial buildings.
The FSCD also called for ensuring effectiveness, organising regular drills and rung campaign to aware people about their responsibilities at individual and institutional levels during an earthquake.
It has also suggested making emergency contact numbers of agencies such as fire service, ambulance, police, hospital and others available in all buildings or establishments.
The organisation also laid emphasis on volunteer training, keeping arrangement of emergency equipment such as flashlight, radio (with extra batteries), flute, hammer, helmet, cushion, dry food, pure water, necessary medicines, first aid box and childcare items.
The FSCD has urged all stakeholders to cooperate with the activities of supervisory organisations at all levels.
Meanwhile, to mitigate major earthquake risk in urban areas, the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) presented 10-point recommendations and urged the interim government to take immediate action, according to an IPD statement issued on Saturday.
The recommendations are:
1. Establish an Urban Planning and Management Commission to ensure city safety.
2. Expedite the formation of the Bangladesh Building Regulatory Authority (BBRA) to enforce the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC).
3. Integrate geological assessments into land-use planning and master plans.
4. Identify and retrofit structurally weak buildings or reconstruct them if necessary.
5. Develop earthquake resilience strategies considering the socioeconomic diversity of urban residents.
6. Prohibit high-rise buildings on narrow roads and wetland areas and ensure regular maintenance of utility services such as gas and electricity.
7. Preserve and develop parks, playgrounds, and open spaces for emergency shelter during disasters.
8. Prioritise public safety over business interests when formulating master plans, building regulations, and fire safety laws.
9. Strengthen the oversight capacity of development authorities, city corporations, and municipalities regarding construction and urban planning.
10. Promote community engagement in earthquake risk reduction and ensure coordinated efforts among relevant state agencies.
IPD also warns that without urgent and decisive action, Bangladesh's cities-especially Dhaka-will face severe consequences in the event of a major earthquake.
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