Mitigation more important than disaster response: Adviser Faruk

Faruk E Azam, adviser to the ministry of disaster management and relief, today said that disaster mitigation is more important than response, as it can significantly reduce the extent of losses and damages caused by disasters.

He made the remarks while speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the Third National Dialogue Platform on Forecast-Based Early Action in Disasters, at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka.

Under the current realities of climate change, disaster risks are on the rise, with sudden floods, landslides, lightning strikes, droughts, heat waves, and cold waves occurring more frequently than before, said Faruk (Bir Protik).

This, he said, threatens not only the economy but also people's daily lives.

The adviser added, "Despite considerable progress achieved through the adoption and implementation of climate-friendly programmes, economic losses, and damages to livelihoods and assets continue to weigh heavily on us."

Stressing the importance of forecast-based action, he said that the mindset of taking steps before a crisis has opened a new horizon in disaster management.

The event was presided over by KM Abdul Wadud, additional secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, and attended by senior officials from various national and international agencies.