BPP Academic Partners Visited Bagerhat for the RCI Tool Assessment at the Municipality Level
A team of faculty members from the Department of Disaster Management of BRAC University and the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies of Dhaka University is involved in the project “Matrix of Indicators for the Assessment of Response Capacity (RCI) at the Municipal Level to Natural and Biological Hazards: Application in Bangladesh” under the Bangladesh Preparedness Partnership (BPPP) program of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). It is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The main objective of this project is to apply the RCI tool in Bagerhat, Kurigram, and Cox’s Bazar municipalities.
The BPP Program, currently in its second phase, is being implemented under the guidance of the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR). Its primary objective is to enhance multi-stakeholder partnerships at both national and sub-national levels while strengthening operational and technical capacities, research applications, and knowledge-sharing mechanisms.
From February 25 to February 28, 2025, the a team of seven members from BRAC University conducted a field visit and assessments in Bagerhat Municipality to evaluate its preparedness and response capabilities to natural and biological hazards. The team was formed with three faculty members (Dr. Saimum Kabir, Mr. Muhammad Ferdaus, and Mr. Tasfin Aziz) and four student assistants from BRAC University.
Before the field trip, the team conducted some interviews online and collected documents from the relevant designated persons. On the first day of the trip, the team visited key locations, including the District Office, Municipality Office, Fire Station, Jadunath School and College, Pocha Dighi (water retention pond), and a community clinic, gathering essential documents and insights. The team also talked with key officials for getting further insights on the whole disaster management process.
On the second day, a set of focus group discussion (FGD) session was held at the Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Complex. The first session, which ran from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, brought together high-ranking officials, including the members of the Municipal Disaster Management Committee (PDMC), District Officer (DLLG), Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Superintendent of Police, Civil Surgeon, Senior Station Officer (Fire Service and Civil Defense), District Relief & Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO), Project Implementation Officer (PLO), members from the ward-level disaster management committee, and representatives from civil society and NGOs. They provided their feedback on the assessment tools based on their understanding and through a process of interactive discussion. After the lunch break, in the second session, participants shared their perspectives on disaster response and preparedness based on a structured questionnaire, fostering a productive exchange of ideas. The research team compiled the cumulative feedback on the assessment tool with sets of evidence to support the responses.
This exercise will contribute to developing a robust framework for disaster management in Bangladesh, ensuring that municipalities like Bagerhat are better equipped to handle natural and biological hazards in the future.