The Bangladesh Preparedness Partnership (BPP) partners will work towards building a strong, safe Bangladesh through disaster management and response.
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) organized the bi-monthly coordination meeting of the Bangladesh Preparedness Partnership (BPP) at a hotel in Dhaka on Monday (May 26, 2025) afternoon. Representatives from the government, private sector, NGOs and academia participated in the meeting and emphasized working together for disaster preparedness and resilience.
The meeting was presided over by Mr. A.K. M. Abdul Wadud, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and Chairman, BPP Mobilization Desk. The meeting was attended by FBCCI Secretary General Md. Alamgir, FBCCI Safety Council Advisor Brigadier General Abu Naeem Md. Shahidullah, IDMVS Co-Founder Professor Mahbuba Nasrin, among others. In addition, Ms. Shivani Gupta, Senior Project Management Specialist, ADPC Headquarters (Bangkok), joined the meeting virtually.
In his address as the President, AKM Abdul Wadud stressed the need to keep the Disaster Management Fund (DMF) operational and mobilize the country’s nearly 8 million volunteers. He advocated a national platform to coordinate efforts at all levels, including the grassroots, in disaster management.
FBCCI Secretary General Md. Alamgir said, “Coordinated efforts of the government, non-governmental organizations, academia, private sector and international partners are essential in our country’s disaster management and preparedness. The main objective of this meeting is to plan and work together for everyone.”
He further said, the role of the private sector in disaster management is very important. Through the FBCCI Safety Council, we have taken several initiatives to reduce disaster risk and increase emergency preparedness of the private sector. In the Standing Order on Disaster (SOD) 2019 of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, FBCCI has been given important responsibilities in coordinating the private sector, raising awareness, maintaining emergency services and increasing business resilience. In light of this directive, we are conducting various activities. We have already formed safety cells in selected district chambers and formed and trained private sector emergency response teams at the local and national levels under the Bangladesh Preparedness Partnership Project. These trained volunteers are able to respond quickly and effectively to disasters at the local and national levels.
In the meeting, academic partners including the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies (IDMVS) and BRAC University presented the results of baseline research and updated information on the Response Capacity Index (RCI). Dr., Senior Program Manager, APDC Mohammad Ahsan Ullah presented a summary of the upcoming important activities.
