Risk evaluation mandatory before project approval

From now on, Planning Commission would seek detailed information about the impact of natural disaster on the project before giving it the go-ahead.

Addition of a separate Disaster Impact Analysis (DIA) chapter in DPPs (detailed project proposal), before sending to the Planning Commission, is going to be mandatory.

Speakers came up with the revelation at a workshop styled "National Dissemination on Framework for Disaster Impact Assessment (DIA) Toll and its Institutionalisation Process" organised by National Resilience Proggramme (NRP) under the Planning Ministry.

Planning Minister MA Mannan virtually attended the programme as the chief guest.

The event was held at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in the capital on Saturday.

Mannan said natural disaster is a regular phenomenon in Bangladesh and concerted effort is needed to save public and private properties from natural disaster.

He stressed the need for more and more research to minimise the loss in the wake of natural calamities.

NRP Consultant Md Sayeedul Haque, also former chief of programming department under Planning Commission, and Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology's Professor Rezaur Rahman jointly presented a draft DIA report at the workshop.

Rahman said in Bangladesh, the impact of any disaster is calculated once it hits the country whereas it should be calculated in advance before approving the project.

He said eleven disaster maps of the country would be prepared on the basis of 11 types of natural disasters. As a result, if any project proposal is made, it will be known in which disaster-prone area the concerned project is going to be implemented.

He further said after identifying the disaster-prone area of any infrastructure project, the impact of disaster on it will be calculated.

The project proposal will also mention the initiatives to be taken to tackle the disaster.

"The decision to approve the project will be taken after considering how much money and time would be needed to implement the initiatives to tackle the disaster," he added.

Md Sayeedul Haque said initially, it has been proposed to include DIA only in the proposals of infrastructure projects. Subsequently, it has been recommended to include DIA in all projects.

Secretary to Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Md Mohsin attended the programme as special guest.

In his address, he said hundreds of infrastructure development projects are being undertaken which are also running the risk of being affected by disaster.

Due to some road construction projects, a two to three-month-long waterlogging occurs in some parts of the country.

In this case, before approving the project, it is necessary to know about the possible impact of waterlogging and take remedial action, added Mohsin.