Helemul Alam

A major earthquake could not only cause widespread building collapse in Dhaka but also trigger catastrophic fires through ruptured gas lines, electrical short circuits and other secondary hazards, experts warned.

Three years after the construction of the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant, nearly half of its treatment capacity remains unused during the dry season because Dhaka Wasa has yet to build the sewerage network needed to deliver wastewater to the facility, according to an Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) report.

Even years after two deadly fires claimed around 200 lives in Old Dhaka, hazardous chemical warehouses and factories continue to operate in residential neighbourhoods, as initiatives to relocate them to industrial estates have faltered due to delays in project implementation.

Residents across large parts of Dhaka face serious risks during a major earthquake, as much of the city stands on hazardous, liquefaction-prone soil, experts have warned.

The first round ended as a story of Argentine success across the world, with one painful exception for Bielsa.

Dengue infections are surging outside Dhaka this year, raising alarm among health experts who warn that inadequate mosquito-control measures in many districts could trigger a wider outbreak in the coming weeks.

The risk of dengue could rise sharply after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays, as rainfall during the period may have created numerous mosquito breeding grounds, experts warned.

Although the monsoon season is approaching, the health authorities have yet to take any initiative to conduct the pre-monsoon entomological survey that experts say is crucial for identifying mosquito breeding hotspots and preventing a major dengue outbreak.