Paradigm Shift in Disaster Management: Bangladesh Experience

Abstract

Disaster management is no longer based on traditional relief, rehabilitation, and rescue operation. It is more tilted towards disaster risk reduction, smart early warning system, emergency response, fast evacuation, transfer to safety of a cyclone shelter, and adoption of pre-disaster and post-disaster plan. It’s a major paradigm shift. Such a strategy change has been able to reduce loss of lives and properties to a great extent in recent years. Disaster plans and policies adopted by various governments did reflect this paradigm shift in line with globally adopted Hyogo Framework and Sendai Framework. In Bangladesh, the “Standing Orders on Disaster 2010” and Bangladesh National Plan for Disaster Management, 2010–2015 and other guidelines stressed emphasis on disaster risk reduction. They also underscored the need to strengthen coping strategies and emergency response measures. The chapter argues that the paradigm shift from post-disaster relief and rehabilitation to disaster preparedness, risk reduction measures, smart early warning systems, and promptness of the volunteers and local administration did substantially reduce death and destruction in recent years. The chapter further unearthed the coping strategy, the local coastal communities are applying, as they are trying to survive over the generations. Community-based disaster management proved to be very handy and useful in case of periodic hazards. Instead of structural solutions, the chapter in conclusion recommended implementation of various policy guidelines adopted by the government, inter-agency collaboration, community participation in disaster management, and good disaster governance.