According to RAJUK, the first list of risky buildings was prepared in 2010 and updated in 2016. Currently, Dhaka has 321 extremely risky buildings, mostly in Old Dhaka. In 2024, RAJUK also identified 30 risky buildings across 21 educational institutions.
A RAJUK survey conducted under the Urban Resilience Project between 2018 and 2022 found that approximately 865,000 buildings in Dhaka could collapse if a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Madhupur Fault near Tangail. Such a scenario could result in 210,000 deaths and 229,000 injuries if it occurred during daytime hours.
Bangladesh’s cities, including Dhaka and Chattogram, remain highly vulnerable to earthquakes due to widespread disregard for building codes, master plans, and land-use zoning, according to the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD).
Adil Muhammad Khan, Professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University, emphasised the urgent need for preparedness, citing the recent 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar as a stark reminder of the risks.
Experts have also expressed concern that, despite the formation of multiple reform commissions, the interim government has yet to establish a dedicated authority for planned urbanisation, sustainable housing, and building safety.
The Bangladesh Institute of Planners criticised the formation of an advisory council allegedly influenced by real estate developers to amend Dhaka’s Detailed Area Plan (DAP), favouring unrestricted high-rise construction.
