November 25, 2025
DHAKA – Munni was tending to her six‑year‑old daughter at the paediatric cardiology ward of Bangladesh Medical University (PG Hospital) on Friday when the 17‑storey building suddenly began to shake violently.
“We were totally caught off guard. I took my child in my lap and stood in the middle of the ward. I thought we were going to die,” she told The Daily Star yesterday, recalling the harrowing experience.
Her words echo the panic that swept through patients and doctors inside the Block‑D building during the 5.7‑magnitude tremor that jolted Dhaka and surrounding districts.
The building had been flagged as structurally vulnerable in early 2023, yet it continues to operate like dozens of other risky structures across the capital.
More than two and a half years have passed since 42 buildings in Dhaka, Gazipur, and Narayanganj were declared “highly risky” and ordered to be demolished within three months. But only two have been torn down so far.
Friday’s tremor laid bare not only the vulnerability of these structures but also the failure of authorities to act despite repeated warnings.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) moved only after the quake.
The regulatory authority found about 300 structures under its jurisdiction damaged in Friday’s quake.
The structures include two buildings of Badda Alatunnessa High School and College, which were also on Rajuk’s list of 42 highly risky buildings.
Inspectors found cracks in several columns in those buildings and ordered classes to be suspended.
Under a World Bank-assisted Urban Resilience project implemented between 2020 and 2022, Rajuk conducted a “Rapid Visual Assessment” of 3,252 buildings owned by government, semi-government, and autonomous bodies in Dhaka, Gazipur, and Narayanganj.
A “Preliminary Engineering Assessment (PEA)” was then conducted on 579 of the buildings identified as comparatively vulnerable. The PEA marked 42 buildings as very risky and in need of demolition. These buildings belong to eight government and autonomous bodies.
In 2023, Rajuk served notices to the authorities of those buildings to vacate the structures within seven days and their demolition within three months.
However, only two structures, including a building of Dhaka Collegiate School in Patuatuli, have been demolished so far.
The school had another building, which was also declared risky, but the authorities are still using that for classes. They also did not hang banners declaring the buildings unsafe despite Rajuk’s instructions.
During a visit to the school yesterday, this correspondent found classes were teeming with students.
When asked, acting Headteacher Kabita Rani Sarker said, “We have more than 2,000 students. Every year, we admit new batches. If we hang such a banner, parents will stop sending their children.”
Outside the school, Anita Das, mother of fourth-grader Biplob Das, said, “We had no idea our children were at such a risk during an earthquake. We will definitely speak to the school authorities.”
In the same way, the Block-D building of the PG Hospital has been operating despite the Rajuk warning over two years ago. Most of the hospital staff are not even aware that Block-D was declared highly risky.
A physician at the paediatric cardiology ward, on condition of anonymity, said they had no clear information about the building’s risk level. “The authorities must ensure safety for both doctors and patients. This is a major referral hospital and needs serious attention and better-planned infrastructure.”
Despite multiple attempts, the hospital’s Chief Engineer AKM Habibur Rahman could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, four buildings of Jagannath University are also on the list of 42 risky buildings. Despite Rajuk’s instruction, the buildings were still being used.
Demolition efforts have stalled, allegedly due to bureaucratic delays.
Helal Uddin Patwary, chief engineer of Jagannath University, said, “We had brought in a BUET expert committee for guidance, and they asked for Rajuk’s report. Despite multiple letters, Rajuk never sent it.”
“When we tried to start the tests ourselves, BUET estimated the cost at Tk 45 lakh. We requested funding from the University Grants Commission, but that, too, never materialised.”
Tasmia Sarker, a student of journalism, said, “Many of us attend classes not knowing the risks.”
While Likhon Islam, a student of Bangla, said if the risky buildings aren’t renovated urgently, a disaster is inevitable.
In Laxmibazar, two buildings of Kabi Nazrul Government College were also declared risky, but no action has been taken in the past two and a half years.
College Principal Prof Habibur Rahman said, “We renovate our buildings when necessary. But no decision has been taken regarding those two buildings. Given the current situation, we will write to the authorities.”
Even a leading public educational institution like Jahangirnagar University continues to operate three buildings deemed structurally unsafe.
University Professor Adil Mohammad Khan said none of the three risky buildings has been retrofitted, let alone demolished.
“After the recent earthquake, the university decided to conduct detailed engineering assessments of all buildings. External technicians will be engaged for this process. But this assessment should have been done long ago,” said Adil, also the president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners.
Since demolition is a major decision, the authorities should have carried out a second assessment before acting on Rajuk’s order, he said. “If two assessments confirm the same risks, then buildings must be vacated and demolished. But most institutions didn’t even take this step.”
The Education Engineering Department (EED) of the education ministry is responsible for the safety and upkeep of all government educational buildings across the country. Of the 42 risky buildings, a number of them are under EED supervision, as seen in a Rajuk report.
Contacted, EED Chief Engineer Tareque Anwar Zahedee said, “As far as I remember, Rajuk prepared such a list two years ago. But the buildings were not ours; many belonged to private schools, and their authorities were responsible for demolishing or retrofitting them.
“If we receive government instructions, we will act according to regulations,” he said, adding that a committee formed yesterday would review all buildings under EED supervision and submit a report as soon as possible.
Speaking on overall preparedness, Rajuk Chairman Md Reazul Islam said most of the risky buildings are government-owned and that a citywide reassessment is now essential.
“What is important now is collaborative work, bringing together Rajuk, city corporations, disaster management agencies, the army, and the fire service so that all risky buildings can be identified and proper steps taken.”