23 quake-vulnerable buildings to be razed in Sylhet

The decision came at a meeting on earthquake preparedness and response held at Nagar Bhaban on Monday afternoon.

Divisional Commissioner and Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Khan Md Reza-un-Nabi chaired the meeting.

Senior officials including Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwar Alam and SCC Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Rezai Rafin Sarker and experts attended the meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Sarwar Alam said many people are still living and doing business in these risky buildings.

“For the safety of residents we have decided to demolish these buildings quickly,” he added.

He also said that narrow roads in many parts of the city could hinder rescue efforts during disasters and stressed the need for special attention to this issue.

Professor Dr Jajir Bin Alam of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology’s Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, who led the building assessment, said they surveyed 6,000 buildings and found 23 to be extremely vulnerable, reports UNB. 

But the actual number of risky buildings is likely much higher, h said.

“There are around 44,000 buildings in the city. Without surveying each of them it is not possible to accurately determine the level of risk,” he said.