BSS-37 National Disaster Preparedness Day tomorrow

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BSS-37

DAY-DISASTER-PREPAREDNESS

National Disaster Preparedness Day tomorrow

DHAKA, March 9, 2020 (BSS) – The National Disaster Preparedness Day 2020 will be celebrated in Dhaka and elsewhere across the country with holding different awareness programme tomorrow.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief will organize the programme with the theme ‘Preventive measures to reduce disaster’s severity; Will expedite sustainable development’ which is similar to the attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced by the United Nations Organization.

On the occasion, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages, expressing their optimism that Bangladesh would be able to play an important role in reducing disaster risks and disaster-related causalities with united efforts from government, private and voluntary organisations.

The President, in his message, said today negative impacts of global warming and climate change are being witnessed worldwide.

Abdul Hamid said Bangladesh is considered as one of the disaster prone countries in the world due to climate change and its geographical location.

“Due to the climate changes’ affect, the natural calamities including cyclone, tidal bore, flood, erosion, earthquakes, untimely torrential rain, landslide, thunderbolt and cold wave are increasing in a large scale. As a result, the livelihood simultaneously the natural resources are being hampered seriously,” he added.

President Hamid said the combined participatory approach of voluntary organizations, public and private agencies, media and locals in the initiatives to reduce disaster risks has made the country a role model of disaster management in the entire world.

Referring to the “Mujib Year”, the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the President urged all to execute the programmes on this event by giving priority the sustainable development of the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had established Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) in 1973 to reduce disaster risks.

Bangabandhu, the greatest Bangali of the all time, had built ‘Mujib Killa’ in coastal regions to protect wildlife from cyclone and tidal surge, she mentioned.

The head of the government said the incumbent government is firm to materialize the disaster related themes in line with UN-declared SDGs of 2015-2030.

“We have taken Delta Plan 2100. We have prioritized utilization of information and communication technology in different programmes including rehabilitation and reconstruction activities, cautionary alerting method in disasters, increasing mass awareness campaign, disaster risk reduction, quick response, assessment of losses and causalities” she added.

The prime minister said the government is working to involve some 56 thousand volunteers from different offices and people coastal areas and simultaneously 62 thousand others trained volunteers to assist during the time of any disasters.

Disaster preparedness refers to the preventive measures taken to reduce the severity of a disaster’s effects.

Disaster preparedness has the potential to save the maximum number of lives and property during a disaster and it aims to return the affected populations to normalcy as quickly as possible.

BSS/pr-SIR/MRU/2138hrs