Earthquake resiliency of old government office buildings would be extended using modern technology to ensure safety of the lives of people.
To this end, the government has launched a pilot project “Urban Building Safety” involving Taka 571 crore which would cover 10 Thanas of Dhaka districts. Talking to BSS, Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal said they have taken the move to enhance the elasticity of the old buildings keep intact so those could absorb the shake of earthquake.
“Now, new technology called ‘retrofitting’ is available which could improve the earthquake resilience of the old buildings keeping those unbroken involving affordable cost,” he added. Kamal informed Japanese technology would be used with the financial assistance of JICA for the project. “Initially, buildings of nine fire stations in the capital would be strengthened using the retrofitting technology under the pilot scheme,” revealed the planning minister.
He said if the pilot scheme become successful, the system would also be applied in the private sector.
Public Works Department has been entrusted with the task of implementing the project by June, 2023 with the financial assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Planning ministry officials said the project has mainly five components and those are: reconstruction of building retrofitting in private sector and financing with two stop loan for shifting, safety measures of government buildings especially headquarters of Fire Service and Civil Defense and nine fire stations, consultation facilities for implement the project and establishment of project implementation unit for necessary logistic support.
Officials said Bangladesh formulated national building code ‘BNBC’ in 1993, but it attained legal base in 2006. However, necessary strategy is yet to be adopted to enforce the BNBC although it is inevitable to ensure security of the people and properties from the natural calamities, especially earthquake.
To develop the safety of urban buildings, the government and JICA are working together, and adopted several measures such as Project for Capacity Development on Natural Disaster Resistant Techniques of Construction and Retrofitting for Public Buildings (CNCRP) and RMG Sector Safe Working Environment Programme.
