The global leaders lauded activities of disaster-prone Bangladesh taken for overall disaster management, reports UNB. They also praised Dhaka Declaration held in Bangladesh in 2015. The MPs of different countries including Japan, Italy, European Union, Thailand, Mexico, and Australia praised initiatives of Bangladesh taken for protecting disable people, said a press release of Disaster Management and Relief Ministry.
The world leaders made the appraisal on the 2nd day session of a conference titled 'Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction-2017'.
The leaders also applauded 'National Plan 2016-2020' of Bangladesh adopted including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The global leaders of Japan, Italy, and European Union (EU) also cited the different activities of Bangladesh taken for disaster risk reduction.
Bridge- culvert construction, palm tree plantation for combating lightning, building of cyclone centres and flood shelter centres, forming of voluntary teams for conducting post disaster rescue drive, and providing of trainings, running of solar panel activities as alternative sources for supplying uninterrupted power during disaster, have been acclaimed by the world leaders.
Besides, the ministers of Thailand, Mexico, and Australia also lauded the success of Bangladesh in reducing the number of deaths during disaster.
The leaders hoped that if Bangladesh can continue the initiatives constantly, it will be easier for gaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by the stipulated timeframe.
Following a request of the leaders, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya was given additional five-minute to continue his speech on the session.
The minister in his speech said that Bangladesh has given importance on public awareness for reducing risk and for this, now people can combat disaster.
"We have also constructed adequate cyclone centres for sheltering affected people. Many centers are also now under construction. We are also renovating 'Mujib Kella (Fort)' where affected people can take shelter," said Maya.
He also said that now people across the country are aware of the disaster and they are also aware of their duties during the disaster.
"Bangladesh has been able to combat disaster in any types of situation by taking programmes like VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding), providing card for selling rice in low cost, TR (Test Relief), and Kabikha (Food-for-work)," he cited.
Some 4,000 participants and delegations from over 180 countries attended this 5th edition of the Global Platform which was held outside Geneva, Switzerland for the first time and hosted and co-organised with the Mexican government.
It was the first global gathering on disaster risk reduction since the adoption of the Sendai Framework in Sendai, Japan, at a UN world conference in 2015. The 6th edition of the Global Platform will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2019, when the focus would be on progress made in further implementing the Sendai Framework.