The National Disaster Preparedness Day will be observed today.
Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina will formally announce the inauguration of the day in Osmani Memorial auditorium at 10 am. A week-long fair of accessories and materials related to disaster preparedness will be displayed in the Osmani auditorium to mark the day. The theme of the day this year is ‘disaster preparedness round the clock brings sustainable development.’ Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossen Chowdhury Maya said this while speaking a press conference at ministry conference room here yesterday afternoon. Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Shah Kamal and Director General of the Department of Disaster Management Reaz Ahmed, among others, were present. President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages marking the day. In his message, President Abdul Hamid said the government is regularly working for facing the disaster and the disaster risk reduction programme has been incorporated in all the development works of the country. Bangladesh has become a role model and its success for facing the cyclone and storm has already been praised throughout the world, said Hamid.
“It is essential to take necessary steps for facing climate change and its effect, preservation of bio-diversity of sea and ocean, balanced use of sea resources, bio-diversity preservation and to motivate people for its sustainable use, sustainable management of land resource, desertification, land decay and extinction of biodiversity,” said the President. Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina in her message said the Awami League government is implementing various programmes for facing the disaster since 2009. “We have made Disaster Management Act 2012 and National Disaster Management Plan 2010-2015 besides formulating the construction of cyclone shelter and its maintenance and management policy 2011,” said the prime minister.
She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken initiatives for countrywide disaster risk reduction and formed cyclone preparedness programme (CPP) in 1972, adding that Bangabandhu also had constructed ‘Mujib Killa’ at the coastal belt for saving the livestock from disaster.
“We are always ready to make a safe country for the future generation through adopting disaster risk reduction programme in all development works,” the prime minister added.
