Seismograph not functional for 12 years

A seismograph (device to record seismic waves caused by an earthquake) installed at Patuakhali Science and Technology University has been lying non-functional for around 12 years.

It is the only seismograph installed for the country's southern districts to determine magnitude of earthquakes.

As it's non-functional, it could not detect the tremors or determine the magnitude during the earthquake that jolted the country at 9:35am yesterday.

The device was set up in 2006 at a cost of around Tk 50 lakh.

It was set up as part of an agreement with Columbia University in the US and Dhaka University's Geology department, according to the university authorities.

After it was installed in an underground chamber of the PSTU's academic building, the device recorded the magnitude of two quakes in 2006, before it went out of order in January 2011, they added.

Munibur Rahman, assistant professor of PSTU's electrical and electronics engineering department, who is in charge of the device's operation, is currently on study leave.

This is an analog device. The system is now outdated, said Prof Dr SM Tauhidul Islam, chairman of EEE department of PSTU.

"Most countries now use digital seismographs. As it was installed under a Dhaka University project, we'll consult their officials about this device," Tauhidul Islam told The Daily Star.