SESSION 1

POLICIES AND PRACTICE: BANGLADESHS EXPERIENCE

Mohammad Abdul Qayyum

National Project Director, CDMP II &
Additional Secretary, MoDMR, Bangladesh
Email: abdul.qayyum@cdmp.org.bd
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

September 25, 2014

CONTENTS
1. Hazard Profile: Bangladesh
2. Earthquake Vulnerability
3. Policy Issues (Earthquake Focus)

4. Disaster Management (DM): Regulatory Framework

5. DM Planning Framework
6. Adopted DM Model
7. DM Institutions
8. Practice: EQ/Urban Risk Reduction
Risk Reduction
Capacity Building
9. Raising Community Awareness
10.Lessons Learned and Way Forward
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

HAZARD PROFILE: BANGLADESH

Text content

Bangladesh ranks first as the most vulnerable nation to the impacts of climate change
in the coming decades.
here
Bangladesh ranks fifth in the world risk index 2012, bearing the disastrous combination
of extreme exposure and high vulnerability.
DROUGHT
Affects 2.3 m ha crop land. Loss of grazing fields, dried up ponds, water shortage.
In 2006, reduced food grains by 1 million tons.
FLASH FLOOD
Damages standing crops, infrastructures and facilities. Unpredictable, uncertain.
FLOOD
Inundates 20% (normal years) to 75% of land area during monsoon, increases
river erosion, breaches embankments, damages infrastructures. Loss of crops,
fisheries, livestock, biodiversity.
SALINITY INTRUSION
Damages biodiversity, crop lands, livelihoods, safe water sources. Spreading
intrusion from 0.75 to 1.5 m ha (2009); 53% of coastal area affected. Projected
displacement: 6-8 million people by 2050
CYCLONE
Remains the deadliest, most destructive hazard. Recurring events, lingering
aftermath, complex recovery.
Improved preparedness (CPP, shelters, embankments).
AND
CLIMATE CHANGE HAZARDS, EARTHQUAKES, FIRE BREAKOUTS,
INFRASTRUCTURE COLLAPSES, ETC.

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY
Bangladesh is in a seismically active region.
Long gap in EQ occurrence.
Rapid unplanned urbanization, Urban
population growth is about 2.9% annually.
Highly dense population (1,203 people/sq km).
Unsafe building structure including poor
quality of construction materials and improper
construction method (masonry).
Weak Governance and policy Implementation
Improperly managed utility supplies (Gas,
electricity, telephone, sewage etc.)
Limited resources (Financial, Technical/Skill and
Technological)
Inadequate road width and space between
buildings
Inadequate exit (at the same time) for the
occupants of a building during an emergency
Lack of earthquake resistant design of life line
facilities which include power plants, power
stations, bridges, communication control
stations, gas and others.
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Himalayan frontal thrust

Arakan Segment

POLICY ISSUES (EQ FOCUS)

1. DM Act 2012: DM Act 2012 Section 17 calls for establishment of different National
Disaster Management Committees including Earthquake Preparedness and
Awareness Raising Committee.
2. National Plan for DM 2010-2015: Provisioned for Earthquake Management Plan,
National Earthquake Contingency Plan, Earthquake Vulnerability Assessment,
Earthquake vulnerability and risk maps for mega cities, Earthquake Risk Reduction
Plan, Earthquake Incident Command Systems (ICS)
3. Standing Orders on Disasters 2010: In 2008 earthquake consideration was
incorporated in the SOD. It provisioned to establish Disaster Management Committee
at every level up to Union. It also provides scope for the Govt. NGOs and Private
Sectors to think locally and plan for need based programme involving local community
4. Community Risk Assessment (CRA) Guideline: MoDMR introduced a uniform CRA
methodology that is a participatory process to assess hazards, risks and vulnerabilities
in order to prepare a risk reduction action plan (RRAP).
5. Bangladesh National Building Code: Advocacy for implementation of Building Code at
various level. This is also provisioned by SoD to relevant departments and agencies.
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

DM: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Disaster Management Act

National Plan for DM

(NPDM)

DM Policy

Sectoral Policies
(DRR Incorporated)

MoDMR Plans
Sectoral Plans (DRR
Incorporated)

Local Plans
Hazard Plans

Programming for Implementation

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Standing Orders on
Disaster (SOD)

Guideline
Templates

DM PLANNING FRAMEWORK
National Plan for DM (NPDM)

Hazard Specific Plans for DM

MoDMR Corporate Plan

Sectoral Development Plans

(DRR incorporated)

Cyclone Management Plan

Agency Plans

Local Level Plans

Flood Management Plan

Department of Disaster MGT

City Corporation DM Plan

Earthquake Management Plan

Cyclone Preparedness Prog.

District DM Plan

Tsunami Management Plan

Upazila DM Plan

Others

Union DM Plan

Municipality DM Plan

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

ADOPTED DM MODEL
Defining Risk Environment

Managing Risk Environment

Avoid/Eliminate Risks
Reduce/Transfer Risks

(Prevention)
(Mitigation)

(Includes adaptation to climate change vulnerabilities)

Managing Residual Risks (Preparedness)

(Creating the systems for effective preparedness, response and recovery capabilities)

Emergency Response

Emergency
Response

Warning/Evacuation/Search/Rescue
Emergency Relief

(Response)
(Response)

(Actual activation of the response system)

Emergency Rehabilitation
Long Term Holistic Rehabilitation
(Considering Risk Reduction Process)

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

(Recovery)
(Recovery)

Feedback

Risk
Reduction

Setting Context: Sensitization and criteria development, Community Risk Assessment

(Integration of technical and traditional approach, including climate change impact
perspective), Risk Register and Prioritization

DM INSTITUTIONS
National Disaster Management
Council (NDMC)

Inter Ministerial Disaster Management

Coordination Committee (IMDMCC)

Ministry of Disaster Management and

Relief (MoDMR)

National Platform for Disaster

Risk Reduction (NPDRR)

Department of Disaster
Management (DDM)

CPP Implementation Board

(CPPIB)

District DM Committee (DDMC)

Municipal DM Committee
(MDMC)

Zone/Upazila

National Disaster Management

Advisory Committee (NDMAC)

Earthquake Preparedness and

Awareness

City Corporation DM
Committee (CCDMC)

Upazila DM Committee
(UzDMC)

CSDDWS
FPOCG
NGOCC

Union

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Union DM Committee (UzDMC)

DMTATF

PRACTICE: EQ/URBAN RISK REDUCTION

Seismic
Assessment &
Planning

Risk
Reduction

Community
Engagement

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Risk
Reduction

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Building
Code
Revision
Advocacy

Safer
Cities
campaign

Urban
volunteers
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Training of
School Teacher

School EQ
Safety Drill

RAISING COMMUNITY AWARENESS

Observence of National Disaster Preparedness Day (Theme for 2011 was on EQ)
Advocacy Workshops / Seminars /
Roundtables

Simulation Drill Ward Level,

Educational Institue, Agencies
Information Education
Communication (IEC) Campaign
Engaging Religious Leaders (Imams
of local Mosques)
Engineers and Construction
Workers
Strengthening media including
community radios

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

LESSONS LEARNED AND WAY FORWARD

Lessons Learnes
Way Forward

Still there are Policy gaps exist including revision of Building Code.

Earthquake Preparedness and Awareness Comittee is not fully operational.

Unlike other hazards EQs devastation is not well perceived by the people.

Implemention of Building Code is a challenge, it requires multi party engagement and

coordination.

Contigency plans are to be institutionalised.

CDMPs extension of one year would provide scopes for further policy advocacy.

World Bank to start Urban Resilience Project.

Bangladeshs unique charecteristic of social cohesion to promote and strengthen

volunteerism

Organize consultations with the Professionals working in municipalities, city

corporations and development authorities, agencies involved in planning and
implementing infrastructure projects, and private developers in the cities and to
ensure the integration of the Risk Assessment Results into their professional practice.

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

For more information contact:

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Department of Disaster Management Bhaban (6th Floor)
92-93 Mohakhali C/A, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh, Tel: (+88 02) 989 0937, 882 1255, Website: www.cdmp.org.bd

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief (MoDMR), Bangladesh

Photo: Otin Dewan/CDMP

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