Bangladesh
Community Based Disaster
Risk Reduction (CBDRR)
programme
DRM Department, BDRCS
Programme Overview
Programme purpose:
Bangladesh, due to its geographical setting, is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.
Almost every year the country experiences recurring floods associated with river bank erosion, tidal
surges, cyclones, droughts, low- and moderate-level seismic tremors, and other small- and
moderate-scale disasters, such as the cold wave. Additionally, due to the funnel shaped coastline,
Bangladesh often becomes the landing and breeding ground of catastrophic cyclones formed in the
Bay of Bengal. Now, with the added effect of climate change, such natural calamities are occurring
with greater magnitude and intensity. These hazards cause serious damage to crops and properties
which adversely affect the livelihood of the people and their efforts for sustainable development.
The disaster and the poverty also leads into an adverse impact on health in Bangladesh. Anaemia is
one of the largest public health problems in the country where more than 50% women suffer from
this disease. Prevalence is also high among adolescent girls. Anaemia is a significant contributory
factor in maternal mortality and low birth weight in Bangladesh. It also causes lowered resistance to
infection, poor cognitive function and lowered productivity of the population. Anaemia is a condition
in which the concentration of haemoglobin in the blood is lower than the levels considered normal.
This is a widespread public health problem in Bangladesh, affecting the lives of 27 million children,
adolescents and women. It poses a major threat to maternal and child survival, contributes to low
birth weight, lowered resistance to infection, poor cognitive development and decreased work
productivity. Its devastating effects on health translate in to significant economic losses for
individuals and for the country. In public health terms, iron deficiency anaemia is by far the most
important cause of anaemia. Iron deficiency anaemia results mainly from inadequate dietary intake
of iron and worm infestation.
Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction programme, DRM Department
The purpose of the disaster management programme is to accomplish its Global Agenda Goal 1 by
reaching out to the most vulnerable, alleviating human suffering resulting from natural catastrophes
by capacity building through prevention, response and recovery with an emphasis on disaster risk
reduction and ultimately safer communities. The Health program aims at building a healthy
community which is a prerequisite to a prepared community.
Programme(s) summary:
The CBDRR program has been conceived, developed and is implemented by keeping in mind DRR
of 10 vulnerable communities in one flood, one cyclone-prone and two water-logged districts of
Jamalpur, Bhola, Satkhira and Jessore of Bangladesh respectively through their direct participation
and contribution. Women, children, elderly, person with disabilities and the fisher folk in traditionally
floods, cyclones and water logging areas suffer greatly in such disasters. Though people follow and
maintain coping mechanism and indigenous practice in reducing the impact of disasters but
relevance of peoples’ normal practice has been challenged by this untimely and random intensity of
hazards. Experiencing from BDRCS’s DRR programmes, traditional intervention mechanisms need
to be repackaged in addressing floods, cyclones and climate induced risk; the need for livelihood
diversification options, services, tools and technology. Hence, this proposed programme will
address the key result areas of the BCCSAP 2009, IFRC’s Strategy 2020 as well as BDRCS’s DRM
Strategy 2010-2014, and will be based on its experience on DRR and CCA initiatives in the
community level.
The purpose of the CBDRR programme is to scale up BDRCS capacity towards community
resilience in reducing disaster and climate change risks via community-led approach. The
programme will engross the communities’ interest and association throughout from designing to its
implementation phase. The outcomes of the programme are:
1. Developed
community specific action plan and preparedness capacity to tackle disaster
and climate risks
2. Most vulnerable households identified and provided with support on livelihood diversification,
skill development and appropriate mitigation measures focussing women empowerment
3. Strengthened National Society capacities to deliver and sustain scaled up programmes in
disaster risk reduction
4. Enhanced BDRCS humanitarian diplomacy role in field DRR/DM and Climate Change
Specific intervention is spelled out through the implementation of IFRC standard community tools i.e.
vulnerability and capacity assessment (VCA), participatory approach for safe shelter awareness
(PASSA) and community based health and first aid (CBHFA). Key activities of the programme
include community risk assessment analysis for a comprehensive DRR/CCA planning to address
diverse and unmet needs of communities. Community leadership is assured through VCA along with
the engagement of local government institutions (LGIs), local disaster management committees,
local service providers and NGOs and accordingly community-cantered DRR/CCA plan of action is
produced. Based on the VCA, most vulnerable households (HHs) will be provided and supported
Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction programme, DRM Department
with assistance through enhancing their knowledge and building capacities on DRR actions, skill
development training, and livelihood diversification support leading to economic empowerment.
Existing community based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) expertise and knowledge of BDRCS is
utilized to achieve the outcomes. All activities are recognized and indigenous knowledge and
traditional practice respected so that community’s culture of resilience to hazards is enhanced.
BDRCS is the leading implementing partner and IFRC provides the technical backstopping and
strategic advice when required.
The CBDRR programme is aimed to reduce the vulnerability of highly exposed people to floods,
cyclone and tidal surge, water logged conditions and risk of climate change. This programme will
increase the capacity of local community to reduce its life and livelihood risks in relation to hazards.
The early warning system and community level risk reduction measures will further reduce the asset
and livelihood risks. BDRCS with adherence to its mandates in BCCSAP 2009, Standing Orders on
Disaster will foster humanitarian diplomacy and mainstreaming effort will be able to reduce hazard
exposure to the inhabitants through various structural measures.
Community organizations are in the driving seat for implementation of the programme as they are
elected from micro groups formed from each small constituencies of the community. Over the
implementation of the programme, community people will generate a contingency fund by receiving
contributions from every household with provision of using this fund in their common purpose of
continuing dissemination of flood early warning, responding to disaster emergencies, small scale
mitigation works. The women empowered with feasible livelihood opportunities will significantly
contribute in improving socio-economic conditions and social safety nets. The regular investment in
family and community level DRR actions will promote and sustain the culture of resilience of DRR.
The programme will be sustained through its gradual vertical and horizontal expansion through
replication and scaling up of best practices in the country as well as other National Societies in
South Asia.
No. of people we help: The primary beneficiaries of this programme are community people
living in coastal and riverine areas, shelter management committee members, BDRCS staff,
volunteers, community organizations (CDMC and CDRT) in flood, CBDRR micro group/self-help
group in flood and water logged and cyclone prone communities, women’s group, persons with
disability, share croppers, small and marginal farmers, and fishermen. While inception phase of
CBDRR program has already been completed, approximately a total of 137,000 people will be
benefitted, of which 44,000 are counted as direct beneficiaries (individuals) and 93,000 as indirect
beneficiaries as per specific outputs in CBDRR program. Of the total beneficiary population, 50%
female beneficiaries have been targeted.
Coordination: The IFRC and RCRC Movement partners are providing support to BDRCS in
strengthening its emergency response/preparedness capacities in Bangladesh. They are
collaborating with relevant humanitarian agencies including government. The IFRC’s Bangladesh
Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction programme, DRM Department
country office maintains close liaison with UN and other relevant actors on UN cluster approach and
coordination mechanism. According to SOD of MoFDM, BDRCS is a member of both national and
local level disaster management committees. These national and local level disaster management
committees hold bi-monthly meetings with specific agendas on coordination of humanitarian
activities in disaster affected areas. IFRC facilitates the representation of BDRCS units in local
Disaster Management Committees. BDRCS/IFRC will work in close coordination with partners on
the ground on DRR/CCA and complement each other and maximise the resources.
BDRCS/IFRC will coordinate jointly with the government, I/NGOs and civil society organizations on
partnership that will identify the priority issues for humanitarian diplomacy and implement them.
BDRCS, through this programme, will also contribute to achieving HFA and Millennium Development
Goals and BCSSAP 2009. IFRC/BDRCS will be actively attending campaigns on DRR/CCA issues.
Under a MoU signed between BDRCS and IFRC, the programme team at the National Society will
produce bi-monthly progress update. The IFRC country office team will prepare pledge-based
reports for Swedish Red Cross.
Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction programme, DRM Department