Heatwave to be declared as disaster: Muhibbur

The government has decided to categorise heatwave as disaster in the Standing Order on Disaster.

To include it in the categories of disaster, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has already started necessary preparations. Once the process is completed, a notification would be issued in this regard, said State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibbur Rahman.

He made the discloser while exchanging views with the members of the Food and Disaster Management Reporters Forum (FDMRF) at his Secretariat office.
President Tapan Bishwas and General Secretary Mohosinul Karim Lebu led the FDRMF delegation while its members Ashraf Ali, Joint Secretary to the Jatiya Press Club, Masudul Haque, also General Secretary of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF), FDMRF Treasurer Ubaidullah Badol, and Organizing Secretary Amirul Islam, among others, were present.

In response to a query about the governments initiative to handle heatwave, the country recently faced, Mohibbur Rahman said, "The government is concerned over the heatwave situation and planning to include it as disaster. Same time, its working to provide necessary supports to countrys people during the disaster, so that they can survive."

According to the SOD, Bangladesh has a very high risk of disasters due to having the above-mentioned geographic characteristics. There are many different types of natural and human-induced hazards that pose a risk, including floods, flash floods, water logging, cyclones, drought, earthquakes, landslides, tidal waves, tornadoes, thunderstorms, riverbank erosion, fires, building collapses, chemical accidents, arsenic contamination of groundwater, salinity intrusion, cold waves, etc.

Bangladesh has made a significant progress in disaster risk management in recent years despite numerous hazards and vulnerability in the country.

The State Minister said, "The limit of heatwave may increase day by day. We want to adjust it. The heatwave would be declared as a disaster. Whenever the maximum temperature will exceed 40°C (degree Celsius), it would be considered as a disaster and the authorities concern will start working to help the people providing necessary support in future."

"We were ready to provide necessary support including water, saline, medicine and umbrella to the poor people during the heatwave that hit the country recently. It was a new kind of disaster. So, we need some time to take preparations. In the meantime, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department forecast rainfall and the rain started," he said and added, "We are now ready for such situation. Necessary support will be given, whenever the heatwave hits again in future."

According to the Met Office, the temperature above 40°C is considered as severe heatwave. This year, Jashore recorded highest temperature above 43.8°C and Chuadanga and Pabnas Ishwardi recorded 43°C.