Disaster risk management centre opens in Dhaka

A private sector emergency operation centre focusing on disaster risk management was opened at the office of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) yesterday.

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman inaugurated the centre, jointly established by the DCCI and European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO)-funded Strengthening Urban Public-Private Programming for Earthquake Resilience Project.

The government and private sector should work together for disaster risk management in the country, said Rahman.

He said the emergency operation centre could play a vital role in the fight against any disaster.

He informed that the government has taken an initiative to establish a "National Emergency Operation Centre" in Tejgaon with Chinese technical and financial assistance.

"Over 42 lakh volunteers have already been trained and equipped with necessary instruments to mitigate the losses of disaster," Rahman said.

DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said they should focus on risk resilient infrastructure systems to ensure risk free industrialisation and investment.

He urged to shun traditional mindset regarding disaster risk management and to be aware of its impacts and stressed for more involvement of the private sector.

"Any disaster hampers industrialisation and economic growth, so this is the duty of all of us irrespective of business or non-business sector to respond to this critical issue," said the DCCI president.

"The private sector should allocate more fund for research on disaster risk management and also to create a database of skilled manpower for disaster management," said Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh. 

She also said trade organisations in rural areas should adopt more policies in this regard.

Secretary to the ministry Md Mohsin said Bangladesh now was a role model for disaster management and the participation of private sector reflects the preparedness to create awareness in this sector.

Daniela D'Urso, head of office, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, Suresh Bartlett, national director of World Vision Bangladesh, and NKA Mobin and Monowar Hossain, senior vice presidents of the DCCI, also spoke.