Dhaka, Nov. 24 -- Leading geologists and engineers have warned that Dhaka, one of the world's most densely populated megacities, faces a potential catastrophic humanitarian disaster if hit by a major earthquake. Assessments reveal that over eight lakh of the capital's 21.45 lakh buildings could collapse if a quake of magnitude 7 or higher strikes the area. Experts attribute the high vulnerability to poor enforcement of the national building code, unauthorised construction, flawed designs, and decades of lax oversight, placing Dhaka among the most earthquake-prone capitals worldwide. Without urgent measures to ensure construction quality and adherence to safety standards, the city's exposure to seismic risk remains dangerously high.

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