Earthquake

             An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the earth’s crust that creates seismic waves. At the earth’s surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and sometimes displacement of the ground. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is located offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes can also trigger landsides and occasionally volcanic activity. Bangladesh lies in active earthquake zone. Alarmed by the recurrence of quakes during recent years, experts have called for the development of an earthquake resistant building code that all buildings should follow as mandatory. In Bangladesh, there are two schools of experts regarding earthquakes. One school comprising of engineers and geologists is of the view that the recurrence of quakes in recent years should be taken as a signal for a major earthquake. Another school comprising of similar categories of experts, however, believes that the concern should not be amplified. Because although there are a number of fault lines in the geographical area comprising Bangladesh. But none of this active enough to pose a major threat. Yet none of the schools rules out the possibility of a major quake and the dangers that might be associated with it. In Bangladesh complete earthquake monitoring facilities are not available. The meteorological department of Bangladesh established a seismic observatory at Chittagong. This remains the only observatory in the country. The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakhya (RAJUK), responsible for a planned development of the city. They believe that an earthquake resistant building code should be developed to reduce the loss.