Natural calamities big threat to Bangladesh: PM

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh, as a disaster- prone country, considers natural disasters as a severe threat to sustainable development and attaches high priority to capacity building for disaster risk reduction and resilience.
The PM said this when Special Representative to the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Walhstrom called on her at her hotel suite in New York on Monday morning.
Press Secretary to Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen about the outcome of the meeting.
Hasina said Bangladesh has undertaken its development program taking the sustainability and disaster risk reduction issues into consideration following the recommendations of the UN ISDR resolution.
She commended the role of Global facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to support disaster risk reduction in vulnerable countries like Bangladesh for poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Highlighting the adverse impacts of climate change in the life and property of the people of Bangladesh, she said the people of the country have been fighting against natural disasters including floods and cyclones for ages.
The present government is undertaking several adaptive measures for disaster risk reduction and sought international cooperation in support of the initiatives for construction of flood and cyclone shelter, flood resistant houses and coastal embankment, she added.
Margareta invited Hasina to attend a conference on Disaster Management to be held in Geneva in May, 2013 and the premier accepted the invitation.
PM's son Sajib Wazed Joy, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Principal Secretary Sheikh Wahid Uz Zaman, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN Dr A K Abdul Momen were present.
Later, the PM called on Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at Qatari embassy.
During the meeting, they discussed issues relating to bilateral interests including river dredging in Bangladesh and recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.
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