Building code to be enforced strictly
Says minister
The government will bring all the new buildings across the country under Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) to minimise the fatalities of earthquake.
"We will take required steps so that the authorities strictly follow the building code both in urban and rural areas", said Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque.
"It will reduce the causalities of natural disaster especially earthquake," he said while addressing as the chief guest a seminar at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city.
Titled "Disaster preparation at every house saves lives and livelihood," it was organised by Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) to mark the National Disaster Preparation Day 2011.
Razzaque said his ministry has already identified the city's 70,000 buildings that need to be retrofitted to make those structures tolerant to moderate earthquakes.
He stressed the need for initiating pre-calamity preparation to minimise the causalities of natural havoc that constantly hits the country.
The minister also announced to construct more cyclone centres across the country.
About price hike of rice, he said, "I cannot avoid my responsibility of this failure. But the country people did not face Monga during my term of office."
On the government's disaster mitigation steps, he said the ministry has trained 62,000 volunteers and provided them with equipment of Tk 70 crore to minimise the causalities.
University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Nazrul Islam presented the keynote paper.
Disaster Management and Relief Division (DMRD) Acting Secretary M Aslam Alam chaired the seminar addressed by National Disaster Management Advisory Committee Chairman MA Kashem, among others.
Covers of two books titled "Standing Orders on Disasters" and "National Plan for Disaster Management 2010-2015" were unveiled in the function.
The minister also distributed award among the winners of children art competition on natural disaster.
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