Hasina calls for greater disaster awareness

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the authorities to dial up their efforts in raising awareness on disaster management.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 18 April 2019, 10:43 AM
Updated : 18 April 2019, 10:43 AM

She was speaking at a meeting with the National Disaster Management Council in her office on Thursday.

Hasina said, "The directives should be disseminated properly both at the institutional and national levels. People should know what to do when a disaster strikes."

"It's true that we confront a number of disasters but we're managing it. This is a small country with a population of 160 million people. I doubt any of the western countries could manage such a big population."

For all its comforts, modernisation also comes with its fair share of risks, the prime minister said.

"We have to ensure that the risks are reduced. We need to raise awareness among people about the use of electricity, gas cylinders or any flammable materials."

Aside from natural disasters in Bangladesh, the prime minister highlighted a number of man-made disasters such as the recurring fire incidents of late.  

"We should look into the preventative measures for disasters as the nature of incidents is constantly changing."

"People need to be more aware of these disasters as well as ways to manage it. We shouldn’t just act when an accident occurs but take measures to prevent them from happening. We have to plan and implement measures accordingly."

Hasina called on the authorities to monitor the issue of disaster prevention regularly and draw up recommendations regarding the matter.

She underlined her government's initiatives to bolster the country’s disaster management capabilities by allocating greater equipment, training and manpower.

The prime minister also urged Bangladeshis to be alert to the risks of disasters and adopt preventative measures both at home and in the workplace.

"We need to take measures to reduce the casualties in these incidents.