To reflect on private sector’s engagement framework and the TOR of private sector working group, a workshop titled 'Role of the Private Sector in Disaster Risk and Crisis Management', was held today, 23 December 2023, at the FBCCI's auditorium, Motijheel, Dhaka. The workshop was jointly organized by the FBCCI, the Department of Disaster Management, and the ActionAid Bangladesh. FBCCI and ActionAid Bangladesh also signed a MoU in this regard. 

Lokman Hossain Mia, Executive Chairman, BIDA (Bangladesh Investment Development Authority) joined the workshop as the chief guest, while Md. Kamrul Hasan ndc, Secretary of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief and Md. Mizanur Rahman, Director General of the department of Disaster Management were present as special guests. FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam chaired the meeting while Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh was present as the guest of honor.

While delivering his speech, FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam said that Bangladesh has made significant progress in disaster management. The Country has become more efficient and effective in disaster management than ever before. This progress has been achieved by the visionary leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the combined efforts of both the government and the private sector.

FBCCI President highlighted the important role of industrialization in shaping a smarter Bangladesh. Stressing the importance of compliance, Mahbubul Alam asserted that ensuring compliance in buildings and factories is crucial for attracting foreign investment. FBCCI has been actively engaged in collaboration with various sectors, particularly the industry, since 2018, with a commitment to continuing these efforts in the future, he added

Speaking about the long-standing commitment and legacy of ActionAid Bangladesh in disaster preparedness and response, Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, remarked, “Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country and due to rising climate crisis, we always are living bring vulnerable. In this year’s COP28, Bangladesh has been hailed as an example for its outstanding work in anticipatory actions and disaster management. To keep up the momentum, we need to invest in cooperation, coordination and a comprehensive approach. From ActionAid Bangladesh, we have closely worked with different ministries and private sector, such as MoDMR and DCCI, in this arena by investing capacity development in disaster preparedness and response and institutionalizing it for a sustainable solution. Through our SUPER project, we have established a private sector emergency operation centre, a working group and SOP to strengthen the private sector’s capacity in disaster risk management. We have also invested in research and development of artificial intelligence to mitigate and manage disasters in the private sector. As a result of all these initiatives, we played crucial roles in many of the recent disasters and believe will be able to further contribute to prevention and response of disaster in the future.” 

During the speech of special guest, Md. Mizanur Rahman said, “On the mark of 53 years of independence, we can proudly say private sector in Bangladesh is contributing 70 to 80% to national development investment. We have been able to tell the world how to build the world's highest-rated greenhouse industry from the rubble. We have set an example of how to bring down the number of lives lost in a disaster from 10 lakhs to a single digit. We have created examples of how participatory disaster preparedness programs can be formulated and implemented through a people-friendly approach. CPP today continues to carry the identity of Bangladesh all over the world. Numerous such examples have established Bangladesh as a role model for disaster preparedness in the world.”

Md. Kamrul Hasan ndc, Secretary of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief said “Various initiatives have been taken in the field of risk management and disaster preparedness from all levels of public-private sector in Bangladesh. This has created an opportunity to make the entire management process more effective and robust with strong inter-coordination. Bangladesh is one of the few countries in the world, which enacted the Disaster Management Act 2012, and the Disaster Management Policy 2015 before the formulation of the Sendai Framework (2015-2030) for Disaster Risk Management, and based on these laws and policy frameworks, the Standing Orders on Disasters (SOD) in 2019 was also updated. By leveraging these policy supports, FBCCI and other private sector institutions can further enhance their capacity and cooperation.” 

In the speech of the chief guest, Lokman Hossain Mia, Executive Chairman, BIDA said that “Today's workshop is an important milestone for the preparatory work of post-LDC Bangladesh. As one of the emerging economies of South Asia and the world, the private sector of Bangladesh has manifested its responsibilities and forward-looking thinking, through the full implementation of this and I believe that the path of lower middle-income Bangladesh will be easier as well as the realization of the dream of a developed and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041 will be successful. FBCCI, as the top business organizations of the country is aware of its responsibility in this regard and has proved it through its own initiatives. I thank and congratulate everyone involved in this initiative.”

He further added, “The economic and commercial potential of Bangladesh has gone beyond the land and is encroaching on the blue economy in the sea. To exploit this potential, the Bangladesh government has invested heavily in the infrastructure sector. Now is the time to use all these infrastructures and move forward. Private sector representatives will play a leading role in this regard. It is our expectation that domestic entrepreneurs will make their businesses sustainable and disaster-resilient by taking preferential benefits from the government. BCCI as well as the private sector of Bangladesh can set an example in this field by taking the opportunity of various technical support including artificial intelligence in disaster risk management which the government has taken to build a smart Bangladesh. 

Nitai Chandra Dey Sarkar, Director, MIM, DDM and Nasir Uddin, Consortium Manager, SUPER, ActionAid Bangladesh presented the keynote presentation of the workshop. Brigadier General Abu Naeem Md. Shahidullah (Retd.), Advisor, FBCCI, Safety Council, presented on ‘Preparedness of FBCCI on Disaster Resilience and Workplace Safety’. Abhijit Chowdhury, Executive Member (Additional Secretary), Strategic Investment, BIDA and Mehdi Ahmed Ansari, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET were the discussants of the workshop.

The workshop concluded with the closing remarks by Md. Amin Helaly, Senior Vice President, FBCCI. Among others, FBCCI Vice President Md. Munir Hossain, FBCCI directors, representatives from various private sector chambers and associations, government departments, NGOs, the United Nations, embassies, and media attended the workshop.