Proper knowledge of natural disaster management can help victims significantly minimise damage during any catastrophe, speakers tell a seminar.
State initiatives aside, they say, mobilising social capitals are also important in this regard.
The views were made at a seminar styled 'The new determinants of household disaster preparedness behaviour and policy efficacy on Bangladeshi households' hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) on Wednesday.
BIDS director general (DG) Dr Binayak Sen chaired the seminar where former DG Quazi Shahabuddin, among others, was also present.
BIDS research fellow Dr Azreen Karim made a presentation on an ongoing research work.
According to the keynoter, various studies related to disaster management have already been done, but those highlighted a little on developing social capital.
The supply-side focus of government policies like developing cyclone shelter and embankment building has been appreciated nationally and internationally, especially with respect to mortality reduction and minimising loss and damage.
But there are extremely limited discussions on the effectiveness of demand-side policies of disaster preparedness demonstrating their impacts on risk reduction in the short- to medium-longer term at household level.
The research is based on the BBS 2015 Impact of Climate Change on Human Life survey, which is a unique and comprehensive disaster-related database in Bangladesh, according to Ms Karim.
As longer-term solutions to reduce climate and disaster risks at micro or household level, she says, the research looked at the effectiveness of key policy interventions of the government in disaster risk reduction through knowledge, perception, education, social capital, infrastructure and loss mitigation.
"We've focused on three policy interventions of the government-existing early warning system, public awareness for preparedness and government disaster financial support-and looked at policy efficacies on Bangladeshi households," cites Ms Karim.
Mainstreaming disaster education, climate change and disaster risk reduction policies can significantly enhance responsiveness to the country's disaster preparedness behaviour and thereby increase household resilience, she hopes.
Mr Sen calls for gathering knowledge through formal or informal channel using social or community mechanism to help anticipate disaster and mitigate risks.
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