Early alerts crucial for saving lives in a disaster-prone nation like BD

Bangladesh's expanding telecommunications network- from mobile alerts to satellite-linked monitoring - is now at the heart of the country's disaster early warning system, Disaster Management and Relief Adviser Farooq-e-Azam Bir Protik said on Sunday.
He also highlighted that timely alerts are crucial for saving lives in a disaster-prone nation.
Speaking as the chief guest at a national workshop on the "Early Warning for All" roadmap at the BTRC auditorium in Agargaon, the adviser said the integration of telecom technology has transformed Bangladesh's preparedness, enabling real-time weather modelling, swift dissemination of warnings and broader public reach during emergencies.
Bangladesh's long battle with cyclones and floods demonstrated why rapid, technology-driven warning systems were indispensable, he noted.
"We represent a nation that lives with disasters. Every life is valuable, and reducing loss of life and property is the government's priority," the adviser said.
Citing this year's International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction theme, Fund Resilience, Not Disaster, he stressed that investing in resilience and early warning capability was more sustainable than spending on post-disaster recovery.
"A poor family devastated by a disaster often has to restart life from almost zero. That is why the Early Warning for All roadmap is vital for public interest and socio-economic development," he said.
Looking back at the 1970 cyclone, which killed an estimated half-a-million people overnight, the adviser said, adding that the absence of forecasting systems, technological alerts or cyclone shelters contributed to the massive death toll.
"Today, when we speak of technological progress, those past tragedies remind us sharply how early warning saves lives," he added.
However, he expressed regret that despite major disasters in 1970 and 1991, Bangladesh did not advance domestic research and technology sufficiently.
"Nationally, we should focus more on research. Still, we are fortunate to have satellite-based weather models, Doppler radar, flash-flood models, AI-driven forecasting and mobile-based alert systems available today," said the adviser.
He said disaster-related data are now being generated for coastal, hill, urban and river-erosion-prone regions, improving preparedness across diverse geographies.
Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Md Mostafizur Rahman presided over the workshop, which was also addressed by Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Niclas Wikström, BTRC Chairman Major General (Retd) Md Emdad Ul Bari, and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Secretary General Kabir Md Ashraf Al-Amin.

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