Bangladesh has been classified into three earthquake risk zones: Zone-1 as high-risk, Zone-2 as moderate-risk, and Zone-3 as low-risk areas. A map released by the Department of Meteorology clearly marks the earthquake-prone regions across the country.
Several areas in the north and southeast fall under Zone-1, the highest risk category. Regions near fault lines and plate boundaries are generally more vulnerable. Specifically, nine districts in the Sylhet and Mymensingh divisions, parts of Tangail, Gazipur, and Narsingdi in Dhaka division, the entire Kishoreganj district, Brahmanbaria in the Comilla division, and parts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts including Khagrachhari and Rangamati are in the high-risk zone. Conversely, Khulna, Jessore, Barisal, and Patuakhali fall under Zone-3, the lowest-risk category.
Statistics show that from 1976 to 2015, Bangladesh experienced at least five significant earthquakes, mostly originating from Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, and Cox’s Bazar. The border areas of Assam and Meghalaya in India adjacent to Sylhet and Mymensingh are also classified as high-risk. The country has five major earthquake sources, including three plate boundaries and two local faults—Dauki and Madhupur Faults.
According to RAJUK, Dhaka has around 2.1 million buildings, of which approximately 1.5 million are two stories or fewer, posing relatively lower risk. However, nearly 600,000 buildings ranging from 4 to 30 floors are considered highly vulnerable. Experts warn that in a major earthquake, these structures could collapse, causing massive casualties, emphasizing the need to retrofit and strengthen vulnerable buildings.
Experts note that earthquakes are among the most destructive and unpredictable natural disasters. While prevention is impossible, early warning and preparedness can significantly reduce damage. BUET Professor Dr. Mehedi Ahmed Ansari said, “Even a 5.7 magnitude quake has caused structural damage. In the event of a larger earthquake, the impact would be catastrophic. Failure to follow building codes increases the risk.”
GLIVE/TSN