Information during disasters is more necessary than food, as timely warnings can save countless lives, said experts at a national learning event on Wednesday.
The event, titled “Digital Innovation in Early Warning System: Building Climate Resilience in Bangladesh”, was organised by Practical Action at a Dhaka hotel.
Md Amadul Haque, Joint Secretary and Director of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, attended as the chief guest.
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He emphasised that accurate and timely information is the key to disaster preparedness. “The most important thing during a disaster is information. It must reach people before relief efforts begin. If we had proper information, ten lakh lives could have been saved in 1970,” he said.
Amadul noted that a cyclone may last 6-10 hours, people may not eat but the message must be received, adding, “So information is more essential than food; information saves lives.”
He emphasized that information should be clear and easy-to-understand and must reach the last mile effectively.
Professor Mansur Rahman of BUET’s Institute of Water and Flood Management highlighted the need for collective efforts in disaster preparedness. “The government and NGOs alone cannot achieve this. Anticipatory actions are crucial to reduce post-disaster recovery needs. Collaboration across ministries, agencies and organisations is essential,” he said.
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Robin Kumar Biswas, Superintending Engineer at the Bangladesh Water Development Board, mentioned that efforts are ongoing to develop an automated river erosion forecasting system.
He noted that integrating factors like land use and economic changes would significantly improve decision-making during disasters.
Practical Action’s Bangladesh Country Director Ishrat Shabnam said, “Technology has improved a lot now. The system we're up to now can be upgraded even more if we want to. Our current efforts focus on developing a holistic approach to addressing disasters and an app has already been created for this purpose, which is currently serving people effectively.”
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Looking ahead, we have a 15-year journey and I am hopeful that we will be able to expand opportunities for work in the future, she said.
The event featured keynote presentations by SM Ashikul Islam, Senior Project Officer at Practical Action, and Tamanna Rahman, Thematic Lead for Climate and Resilience at Practical Action.