Bangladesh, Oct. 14 -- President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday stressed the need for advance preparedness and proper urban planning to tackle disasters, warning that a major earthquake could leave Dhaka in ruins because of unplanned urbanisation.

"Alongside natural disasters, there are also manmade disasters. The greatest concern today is that if an earthquake occurs here, Dhaka city will be completely reduced to rubble," he said.

He made the remarks at a programme marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka on Tuesday morning.

The President urged the authorities to give greater attention to urban management, particularly the construction of houses an...