Dhaka, Nov. 24 -- A major earthquake striking Bangladesh is not a matter of "if" but "when", warns the country's leading geoscientist Prof Syed Humayun Akhter.

He identifies three critical failures -- widespread public ignorance, government inaction, and a chronic lack of preparedness -- that have left Dhaka and other cities dangerously exposed.

"The energy stored beneath Bangladesh will be released eventually," he said. "We cannot prevent earthquakes, but we can minimise casualties if we act wisely now."

Following four tremors over Friday and Saturday that stirred widespread public fear, Prof Akhter, former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Open University, joined bdnews24.com's flagship discussion programme "Inside Out" on Sunday to shar...