Engr. Mohammad Abu Sadeque, Executive Director, HBRC- Centre for Housing & Building Research, graduated in civil engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 1981 and he took his masters from the same university in the year 1989 in Geo-technical engineering. At the beginning of his career he got experience in design and construction of earthquake resilient high-rise buildings in different parts of Bangladesh. He is the leading designer in Bangladesh who took all the precautions necessary to make a 20 story-building earthquake resilient in 1983. Starting a with private consulting firm he later joined in Public Works Department (PWD) in the year 1984. He has the exposure in design; construction, management and research work in some special field of science and technology like Earthquake, Disaster Management, Building Technology, and Housing. He studied in Netherlands for one year in 1994 for obtaining his postgraduate diploma in engineering geology.
He has experience of working with private organization. He worked for different government organization like Public Works Department (PWD), Disaster Management Department and Ministry. Last 5 (five) years of his service he worked for government autonomous body ‘Housing and Building Research Institute’ as CEO.
He has huge publications and research outcome that is very much needed for better Bangladesh and overall humanity. His innovation will pave the way to fulfil the target of “Housing for All” and also to save Bangladesh from the curse of clay burn bricks using agricultural top soil. His innovation will help to reduce the emission, saving agricultural land, having earthquake & disaster resilient construction and to ensure affordable housing within the reach of low-income people.
We all know that construction cost in Bangladesh is out of reach of low-income people. Mr. Sadeque brought the same within the reach of common people. He has lots of innovations including Micro-Pile as an alternative to Sal Balli (wooden) pile and the technology for construction of houses and buildings at a cost, which is 30%, lower than the conventional construction. Also houses will be 100% earthquake resilient and more durable. He also introduced and promoting the concept of retrofitting of a building by using ferrocement and other light weight materials to combat the impact of seismic load.
Mr. Abu Sadeque is a Professional Engineer. He is the founder member, former vice-president and present Secretary General of Bangladesh Earthquake Society (BES). He worked for general awareness raising on earthquake disaster. He trained huge trainee and at least 100 trainers on affordable disaster resistant design and construction. He is the activist for having earthquake resilient Bangladesh as well as for ensuring affordable housing for low income people.
He has contributions for making people aware regarding alternative technologies through electronic and print media all over the world. Engr. Sadeque presented hundreds of seminar papers in different venues like IEB, IAB, BIP, BUET, KUET, DU, HBRI, DoE, MoDMR, MoHPW, MoHFW etc. He also paid his services as part-time lecturer in DU for the course MSDM and BRAC university for the course of Architecture discipline. He has some Research Publications including publication in Elsevier Journal.
Mr. Sadeque facilitated training programs all over the country for more than 10,000 engineers, architects and other building professionals and Designer of more than 20 High rise buildings up to 27 story.