Tk 13.90b project to enhance quake battle capacity

The government would undertake a Tk 13.90 billion (1,390 crore) project for improving its disaster management capacity and procure equipment to face earthquake and other such catastrophes, officials said Wednesday.
Officials said they were going to implement the 'Urban resilience project' with financial support of the World Bank in this regard.
The project would help enhance the disaster management capacity, especially in Dhaka and Sylhet metropolises, the most vulnerable towns to earthquake, a Planning Commission (PC) official told the FE.
He said the government was laying emphasis on the project following a massive destruction in Nepal caused by the devastating earthquake in March last.
The four government agencies-Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakhha (RAJUK), Dhaka (North) City Corpo­ra­tion (DNCC), Department of Disaster Management, and Planning Commission would implement the Tk 13.90 billion project.
The PC was assigned to coordinate and monitor the project, officials said.
Another PC official said the 'Urban resilience project' might be placed before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council Thursday (today) for its approval.
Officials involved with the project said an emergency operating centre (EOC) and satellite control rooms would be set up in Dhaka north and south cities and another EOC in Sylhet city.
Besides, the Fire Service Department would also set up its mobile emergency command and control room, boost its institutional capacity, procure life-saving equipment and emergency response equipment and would establish its warehouse to preserve those.
He said since the city corporation areas are vulnerable to earthquake, the project was aimed at protecting lives of the people through enhancing the disaster management capacity.
The RAJUK will conduct a vulnerability assessment on critical and essential facilities and lifelines, develop a risk-sensitive land use planning, establish an electronic construction permitting system, set up an urban resilience unit at its head office, chalk out professional accreditation programmes for engineers, architects and planners and improve building code enforcement.
The Department of Disaster Management will set up a National Disaster Management Research and Training Institute, enhance national-level emergency management and preparedness capacity and improve overall disaster management capacity of the department and its offices.
The PC official said the World Bank would bankroll the urban resilience project providing Tk 13.32 billion. The rest of the amount would be provided by the government.
He said the project would be implemented by June 2020.
The earthquake in Nepal in March this year killed nearly 10,000 people. It had also shaken Bangladesh.
According to experts, Bangladesh, especially Dhaka and Sylhet city areas, is most vulnerable to possible earthquakes in this region.
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