3 Sylhet supermarkets shut as earthquake precaution

Three supermarkets of Sylhet city have been shut due to risks of earthquake. A team of Sylhet city corporation shut the rickety markets at 3:30pm on Sunday.

The city corporation also published a list 24 risky buildings after tremors jolted the city six times in the last two days.

The public relations department of the city corporation said they held an emergency meeting on Saturday evening. A team led by the mayor has been formed and a control room coordinated by an executive engineer of the city corporation has been opened for disaster management.

The control room has started field assessment as part of a seven-day campaign following another emergency meeting at Nagar Bhaban on Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the mayor, chief engineer of the city corporation and executive magistrate also spoke at the meeting.

The authorities first decided to shut the supermarket adjoining the city corporation building for 10 days. Madhuban supermarket at Bandar Bazar and Mitali Mansion at Zinda Bazar were also declared shut.

Mayor said two of the supermarkets would be kept under observation for 10 days. The decision would be taken about renovation of these markets after the observation.

“Experts have urged us to be careful for next seven days as earth tremors jolted Sylhet five times on Saturday and again on Sunday morning. We’ve taken the initiative to avoid risks. We urge all to cooperate us in our effort,” mayor Ariful Haque told while assessing the situation.

He also read out the list of 24 risky buildings.

The risky buildings include Collectorate building-3 in Bandar Bazar area, Somabaya Bank Bhaban at Jail Road area, woman affairs officer’s office, Surma Market, City Super Market, Mitali Mansion, Hotel Ajmeer at Dargah Gate area, Madhuban Supermarket, Mannan View at Tilagarh area, Shuveccha-226 building at Shekh Ghat, Naba Pushpa 26/A at Jatarpur, 51/3 Sarkar Bahban at Chaukidekhi area, Kibria Lodge at Puran Lane, Mitali-74 at Kharpara, Meghna A-39/2 at Mirza Jangal area, Pathantula government primary school building, Ekota 377/7, Ekota 377/8, Ekota 377/9 at Uttar Baghbari, Nurani-14 at Bon Kalapara, Pourabipani Market and Poura Shopping Center at Dhopadighir Par area, Gents Center and Raza Mansion at Zinda Bazar area.

Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury told Prothom Alo, “City corporation would maintain strong surveillance in the city area for a week as the region is under red alert of earthquake. The city corporation will cooperate if owners want to ensure safety of risky private buildings. We would inform the concerned authorities for the safety of risky government buildings.”

Earthquake experts have categorised Bangladesh in three zones in terms of earthquake vulnerability. Sylhet is in the most risky zone as the Dauki Fault is only 54 kilometers away from the divisional town.