Terming Bangladesh vulnerable to disasters such as earthquake, speakers at a discussion on Wednesday called for ensuring proper preparedness to minimize risks and destructions.
Earthquake preparedness (both institutional and community level) techniques help save lives and minimize destructions, they said.
Failure to ensure preparedness may culminate in huge loss of lives and properties, they mentioned at a roundtable at the conference room of East West Media Group Limited at Bashundhara in the city.
BRAC and Bangla daily Kalerkantho jointly organized the event.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Enamur Rahman attended as the chief guest, while Imdadul Haque Milon, editor of Kalerkantho, moderated it.Md. Mohsin, Secretary of Disaster Management and Relief Ministry; Brigadier General Mohammad Sajjad Hussain, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence; Shamsuddin Ahmed, Director General of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD); Sajedul Hasan, Director of Humanitarian Programme of BRAC; Dr. A.S.M Maksud Kamal, Pro-Vice Chancellor of University of Dhaka; among others, spoke.
To follow the Building Code while constructing new building is also helpful in minimizing the risks. It will not only reduce the chance of building collapse but also save people’s lives, they said.
Dr. Enamur Rahman said the government is going to sign agreement with JICA soon for combating earthquake .
The government will work on different issues, including ensuring construction of new buildings following the National Building Code as per the agreement, he said.
The minister said the government as part of earthquake preparedness is giving emphasis on buying modern equipment. Hence, he said, the Prime Minister has allocated Tk. 2,300 crore.
Sajedul Hasan called for imparting proper and continued training for volunteers who work under the disaster management programmes of the government.
If it is ensured, the volunteers will be able to play an important role in rescue operations during any disaster, he said.
The discussants placed a number of recommendations including raising mass awareness, purchasing modern equipment for facilitating post-disaster rescue operation; arranging proper training for volunteers.
