President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for collective action to build a disaster-resilient Bangladesh, urging people and authorities to strengthen preparedness and reduce risks.
He made the call on Tuesday morning at an event marking the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
“I would like to appeal to everyone, particularly people living in disaster-prone areas, to come together to build a disaster-resilient Bangladesh, where every home is safe, every family is prepared, every community is resilient, every development initiative is risk-informed, every policy is forward-looking, every plan is grounded in reality, and the state and its people stand united in tackling disasters,” he said.
“Resilience starts at home. Let us begin at home, move forward together and build a disaster-resilient Bangladesh.”
Fakhrul said there were human-induced disasters alongside natural ones, but they received far less attention.
“When we look at Dhaka today, our greatest concern is what will happen if there is an earthquake. The city could be completely devastated. We have seen in different cities around the world that the death toll is much higher when there is no planned urban system.”
“We need to pay much greater attention to these issues. The relevant authorities need to place particular emphasis on urban management in the construction of buildings, maintaining the natural flow of rivers and keeping them free of pollution.”
Citing recent flooding in Kathmandu, Nepal, and an earthquake in Tehran, Iran, the president said poor planning could significantly increase the loss of life during disasters.
Unplanned urbanisation and vulnerable buildings, in particular, could lead to major catastrophes, he added.
Fakhrul said the people of Bangladesh had grown accustomed to battling various natural disasters over the years. Floods, cyclones, storm surges, river erosion, landslides, droughts, lightning strikes and earthquakes have become persistent risks for people in Bangladesh.
Recalling the massive loss of life caused by the 1970 cyclone and storm surge, as well as the reaction of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, the president said the disaster demonstrated how devastating a natural calamity could be and the price a state might have to pay.
Expressing concern over global warming, Fakhrul said: “Climate change-induced disasters have now become a matter of concern across the world. Although Bangladesh contributes very little to global warming, it is among the countries most severely affected by its consequences.
“As a result, different communities across the country, particularly people living in coastal areas, are facing a range of risks.”
The president said Bangladesh had made significant progress in disaster management since independence.
Early warning systems, shelters, volunteer networks and greater public awareness had substantially reduced fatalities, while the country's capacity for preparedness, rescue, relief and rehabilitation in response to floods and other disasters had also improved.
Emphasising the need for advance preparedness, Fakhrul said Bangladesh needed to move from early warning to early action.
“We have to prepare to deal with disasters before they strike. We must also develop the capacity to bounce back quickly after a disaster.”
Referring to the problems faced by volunteers engaged in disaster response, the president said no law had yet been enacted for them.
“I would request the honourable minister to take appropriate steps so that such a law can be enacted.”
Turning again to the risks facing the capital, Fakhrul said: “If we look at Dhaka, our biggest concern today is what will happen to the city after an earthquake. It could be completely flattened.
“We have seen what happened in Nepal and, more recently, in Iran. We have also seen in other cities that the lack of proper planning leads to a much higher death toll.”
He also called for greater attention to waste management, alongside safer building construction, better urban planning and efforts to protect rivers from pollution.
“Even in waste management, we need to attach much greater importance.”
The president said Bangladesh faced challenges including river erosion, salinity, unplanned urbanisation, waterlogging, fires and earthquakes.
“We therefore need to step up our efforts to prevent environmental pollution, conserve wetlands and natural water bodies, promote risk-informed urban planning and strengthen disaster resilience.”
Referring to a canal-digging programme initiated by former president Ziaur Rahman, Fakhrul said: “Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of our independence, launched a canal-digging programme to control floods and maintain water flow.
“This government has also adopted that programme. I believe we need to move forward with sincerity so that we can implement it effectively.”
The president said he did not believe there was a lack of public awareness about disasters.
“Whenever I visit coastal areas, I see that people there are highly aware of these issues. Similarly, people in the haor regions prepare themselves in advance.
“I would like to thank the Department of Disaster Management. They remain alert to these issues well in advance and have an early warning system in place.”
Fakhrul also urged people to take steps to make their homes safer and bring their families and neighbours within the scope of disaster preparedness.
“We need to keep important documents and essential supplies in safe places and respond quickly to early warnings. We must participate in local disaster management activities and take part in protecting rivers and planting trees.”
Fakhrul said the government planned to plant around 250 million trees, expressing hope that the initiative would strengthen disaster preparedness and help communities recover more quickly after disasters.
Disaster Management Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam chaired the event.