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The government has felt the necessity to update the 13-year-old building code and modernise it in a bid to make structures compatible with any stronger tremor.
The current code was passed in 2022 after a lapse of thirteen years as it was proposed back in 2010.
"The current building code is not a timely one," said state minister for disaster management and relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman at a mock parliament debate competition on Thursday.
Debate for Democracy (DfD) organised the competition styled 'Doable to combat earthquake risk' at the Bangladesh Film Develop-ment Corporation (FDC).
DfD chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron chaired the programme, participated by St Joseph High School, and Dhaka Cantonment Girls' Public School and College.
The state minister said, "Building owners have limited capacity. The government will have to come forward to reduce the risk of earthquake."
The authorities concerned must play a proper role in executing the building code, he added.
Mr Rahman expressed optimism to make all the buildings tremor-tolerant by 2071.
The government has made an initiative to digitise application and approval process of building designs to check corruption and lengthy procedure, he added.
Even all building structures at the secretariat are not earthquake-resilient, he mentioned.
Study findings show an estimated 72,000 buildings in Dhaka city are highly vulnerable and the death toll may reach up to 0.5 million in case of any major tremor.
Mr Kiron laid emphasis on building awareness and a proper state initiative to reduce the risk factor on earthquake.
"Bangladesh is in the second position among top 20 cities that are in high risk of earthquake," he said.
Mr Kiron placed a 10-point recommendation to combat quake risks, including building vulnerable structures earthquake-resilient, framing a roadmap to implement building code and compelling building owners to comply with quake-resilient directives.
St Joseph High School won the completion.