Use own efforts to face disasters
Minister urges all
Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque has urged all concerned for taking effective preparation with own efforts to face all sorts of natural calamities and disasters in future.
“Bangladesh had faced a series of natural disasters including cyclone Sidr and Aila over the last couple of years. We didn't get adequate assistance from international communities, as expected,” he said at a national workshop yesterday.
Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) and Disaster Management and Relief Division under the Food and Disaster Management Ministry jointly organised the workshop on 'Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015): Progress Monitoring' at the IDB Bhaban auditorium in the city.
Food and Disaster Management secretary in-charge Dr M Aslam Alam, project director of Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) M Abul Qayyum and UNISDR representative Dr M Aminul Islam also addressed the workshop. Director General of Disaster Management Bureau Ahsan Zakir presided.
Addressing the session, Dr Abdur Razzaque said approximately 200 million people - most of them poor - become the victims of various natural disasters every year across the world.
About preparedness, he said although the 'Hyogo Framework for Action' was taken in 2005 Bangladesh had taken preparedness programmes after the country's independence to reduce disaster risks as well as to address natural disasters.
“Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman signed an agreement with the International Red Cross in 1973 to operate the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) with some 42,675 volunteers trained in the country's coastal belt.”
Dr Razzaque said the present government has also trained some 5,000 volunteers in Khulna and Satkhira districts to expand the operation of the CPP.
Referring to the various government initiatives to address disasters, the Disaster Management Minister said: “We've procured heavy equipments at a cost Tk 70 crore to address the disasters and these have already been handed over the concerned authorities.”
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