Dhaka schools prepared for earthquake and fire
Report from Bangladesh on the occasion of IDDR 2012 Celebration
408 Schools of Dhaka city is prepared for earthquake and fire
9.15 am, October 14, 2012, Agrani School & College, Azimpur, Dhaka, this is just not another day. A sudden siren blew up the whole school premise and nearby areas. The siren stroked so hard that everyone could understand there is something bad coming ahead – an earthquake maybe. A state of extreme chaos is what everyone expected to see but the students of the institute proved it other way. The moment they heard the siren they went under the table covering their heads with whatever they had like bag, table top, later they came out one by one in lines, and gather together in the field. Immediate after that some volunteers started head counting, found two students missing, some volunteers went off searching for them. Some opened a temporary medical centre to respond emergency patients.
Suddenly a fire broke out on the other side of the field, some volunteers rushed into that place with helmets on head and fire extinguishers in hand. The fire came under control in few minutes.
All these activities took only 22 minutes, it was a drill organized by the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II), Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief in cooperation with Ministry of Education.
Similar to Agrani School and College, Dhaka other 407 Schools of Dhaka city participated in an Earthquake Evacuation School Drill today on the occasion of creating awareness.
Honourable Minister, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Mr. Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali MP, Dr. Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin MP, Dr. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Secretary, Ministry of Education and Dr. M. Aslam Alam, Secretary, Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief and the National project Director Mohammad Abdul Qayyum were presented at Agrani School and College to encourage and oversee the national wide school evacuation drill programme.
Dense population with rapid urbanization, industrialization and geographic location made Bangladesh vulnerable against earthquakes. It is in a seismically active region. In recent times Bangladesh has been trembled in a number of occasions with minimal losses but an earthquake has potential to bring catastrophic losses of lives and property. Honourable Minister along with other distinguished guests reminded the audiences and students about the potential damages an earthquake can bring. They have also urged the students to take the lessons learned by participating in the drill back to their home so that in needs they can act upon it. Guests also emphasised to achieve perfection in these drills so that in the event of actual disaster it can prove its efficiency and cause. Dr. Shahidul Islam Biswash, Principal, Agrani School and College, Azimpur, Dhaka concluded the event thanking all the participants for their time and effort to attend the event.
For further information about the agenda and media assistance, please contact:
Shaila Shahid, Communications Specialist, Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Dhaka.
Tel # 989 0937; 882 1255; 882 1459; (Ext- 103), Mobile: + 88 01730089983
E-mail: shaila.shahid@cdmp.org.bd
www.cdmp.org.bd