Standing Orders Disaster

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Standing Orders on Disaster Ministry of Food and Disaster Management Disaster Management & Relief Division Disaster Management Bureau April 2010 Message I welcome the initiative of the Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) to publish the revised Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) aiming at ensuring every possible preparedness measure and reducing disaster risks. The SOD was first introduced in 1997 during our previous tenure in office. We are happy that the revised version of the SOD is being published now in accordance with the changed circumstances. The revised SOD has reflected the vision of the government and clearly outlines the role and responsibilities of the ministries, divisions, agencies, organizations, committees, public representatives and citizens to cope with any natural disaster. I hope that the DMB and Disaster Management and Relief Division in cooperation with other stakeholders will materialize the government commitments for disaster risk reduction and emergency response issues in line with SOD. The SOD, I believe, will play an important role in disaster management and disaster risk reduction in the country. Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu May Bangladesh Live Forever Sheikh Hasina ii FOREWORD Bangladesh is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. The country has had a long experience of severe cyclonic events, floods, landslides, arsenic poisoning, tornadoes, and is under threat from earthquakes. The country is also highly vulnerable to climate change, which is also threat for livelihoods and food security. Government of Bangladesh has had the Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD) in effect since 1997. Considering the adverse impact of climate change and the recommendation of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction 2005, the updating of the SOD was essential. Also, as a signatory of Hyogo Framework for Actions (HFA, 2005-2015), disaster risk reduction and climate change risk issues have to be mainstreamed in all development sectors of the government. I am pleased to learn that the revised SOD has been prepared accordingly. Here, tasks and responsibilities of the citizen, public representatives, ministries, agencies and non-government organizations have been clearly spelled out with clarity. With these new features, the SOD has been updated and is now in line with the new approach in the field of disaster management. I hope that all stakeholders will find it useful. The present government is committed to reduce of human, economic and environmental costs of disasters by enhancing overall disaster management capacity. Different steps have been taken such as the changing in traditional sea-port focused signal system to making it more people friendly, modernizing Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) under the Water Development Board, preparation of seismic hazards maps for major cities and procurement of equipment for emergency search and rescue operation for earthquake response etc. I hope these initiatives will helpful to achieve our goal in disaster management. Through this message, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all responsible persons of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, officials and staff of Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) as well as experts of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) for their contribution to the development of this revised version of the Standing Orders on Disaster. Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque MP iii FOREWORD Among the major natural hazards in Bangladesh, cyclones and floods are very frequent along with riverbank erosion, droughts, flash floods, seasonal storms and tornadoes, as well as a few man-made hazards, such as fires, building collapses, ferry tragedies, road accidents, etc. Bangladesh is also at risk from earthquakes, tsunamis, the impact of climate changes, along with a new dimension in urban risks due to its fast growing and increasing density. Climate change adaptation issues particularly need consideration both at a national and community level. This has great impact on the hazard frequency and severity, particularly in case of floods and droughts. Government of Bangladesh has already expressed its commitment to invest more in the risk reduction framework. We are implementing several programmes to shift the whole paradigm of disaster management from a response and recovery culture to a risk reduction culture. However, an effective emergency response system remains at the forefront of disaster management efforts. I am happy to note that this changed risk environment has been taken into consideration in the revised Standing Orders on Disaster. With the introduction of the new features, the SOD has been updated and now it is in line with the new developments in the field of disaster management. I hope that all concerned will find it useful. I would like to convey sincere thanks to my colleagues at the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management, Officials and Staff of Disaster Management Bureau and Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) for their contribution to the development of this revised version of the Standing Orders on Disaster. I have no doubt that this revised SOD, when followed properly, will contribute significantly in reducing disaster risks and establishing an effective disaster response system in Bangladesh. (Md. Mokhlesur Rahman) Secretary Disaster Management and Relief Division Ministry of Food and Disaster Management iv PREFACE The Standing Orders on Disaster in the current format was first published in 1997 in Bangla. It was modified and translated in English in 1999. Since then, many events have taken place at national, regional and global levels. Nationally, three catastrophic disaster events have taken place in Bangladesh: 1) the 2004 flood, 2) the 2007 flood and 3) Cyclone SIDR in 2007. The aftermath of the 2004 flood resulted in the organization of the National Workshop on “Options for Flood Risk Reduction in Bangladesh”. About 900 representatives from all government ministries, divisions and departments as well as representatives of NGOs, the private sector, media and development partners participated in the workshop, which dealt not only with flood risks but also overall disaster risk reduction issues in Bangladesh. The workshop produced more than 300 recommendations for implementation. In the same manner, the Disaster Management Bureau organized national lessons learned workshops after Flood 2007 and Cyclone SIDR in 2007. All of these exercises have emphasized the importance of disaster risk reduction as well as strengthening of the emergency response system in the country. At the regional and global levels, a number of disaster events, such as Orissa Cyclone 1999, Gujrat Earthquake 2001, Asia Tsunami 2004, the Kashmir Earthquake 2005, etc., have shaken up the very basis of disaster management. Consequently, the World Conference on Disaster Reduction 2005 held in Kobe, Japan, organized under the auspices of the UNISDR, has adopted the Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-15, emphasizing disaster risk reduction and strengthening emergency response systems. Bangladesh is a signatory to the framework. Considering the fact that South Asia, with its population of about 1.3 billion, is one of the regions highly exposed to a variety of natural and human-induced hazards which pose a great development challenge for all SAARC countries, South Asian nations joined hands to develop the SAARC Framework of Action 2006-15 for comprehensive disaster management and emergency preparedness. With this backdrop, it was felt necessary to review and revise the SOD 1999. In order to prepare the initial draft, a committee was formed with the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management in the Chair drawing members from Disaster Management Bureau (DMB), Directorate of Relief and Rehabilitation (DRR) and Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP). DMB launched an extensive consultation process involving all stakeholders in order to finalize the draft. The present volume is the end result of that process. The present edition is a substantial improvement over the previous editions. New features introduced in this edition include, among others, the following: 1) a better organized table of contents, 2) a more comprehensive list of definitions, 3) a list of abbreviations, 4) an outline of disaster management regulative framework, 4) an introduction of core groups for emergency response at various levels, 5) a new section on multi-agency disaster incident management system, 6) an introduction of risk reduction roles and responsibilities for all committees and agencies, 7) new outlines for local level plans, 8) revised storm waning signals, 9) a report on cyclone shelter design, 10) revised Form D, 10) two new appendixes containing specific roles and responsibilities relating to earthquake and tsunami hazards, etc. Conceptually, this edition follows a comprehensive approach emphasizing risk reduction as well as emergency responses relating to all hazards and all sectors. Consequently, it has to be followed not only during disasters, but also at normal times. Many officials and experts have contributed to the development of this revised version, especially Mr. A.H.M Abdullah, Director (Training and Planning) and Dr. Mahmudul Islam, Learning and Development Specialist of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP). I extend my sincere gratitude to all concerned. We hope that all concerned will benefit from this revised version. (Ahsan Zakir) Director General

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