President Urges Disaster Preparedness and Planned Urban Development to Reduce Losses
Published : 15:49, 13 October 2026
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for advance preparation and proper urban planning to tackle disasters and minimise damage. He particularly stressed the need for safer construction practices and better city management to address the risk of earthquakes in Dhaka.
He made the remarks on Tuesday morning, October 13, at an event marking International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.
The president said disasters could be both natural and human-induced, but the latter often received insufficient attention. Expressing concern over Dhaka’s vulnerability to earthquakes, he warned that an inadequately planned urban environment could lead to extensive loss of life in the event of a major quake.
He noted that the lack of proper urban planning had contributed to high death tolls in disasters in cities around the world. He urged the relevant authorities to prioritise urban management, compliance with building regulations, preservation of natural river flows and prevention of river pollution.
Referring to recent earthquakes in Kathmandu and Tehran, the president said the absence of proper planning could significantly increase casualties. Unplanned urbanisation and the construction of unsafe buildings could trigger major disasters, he warned.
The president said Bangladeshis had long lived with the risks of natural disasters, including floods, cyclones, storm surges, river erosion, landslides, droughts, lightning strikes and earthquakes.
He also recalled the devastating cyclone and storm surge of 1970, which killed a large number of people, and referred to Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani’s reaction to the disaster. The tragedy, he said, illustrated the devastating impact of natural disasters and the enormous price a country could pay.
Special guests at the event included Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister M. Iqbal Hossain and Munshi Rafiqul Alam, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry.
