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Due to its geography and climatic patterns, Bangladesh is prone to various natural disasters. Bangladesh is located in South East Asia between 20.340 & 26.380 north latitudes and between 88.010 & 92.410 east longitude. Since 1970, at least ten major natural disasters and countless local emergencies have struck this country.

The 1970 cyclone cost 300,000 lives, the 1991 cyclone 139,000 lives, while the 1987 and 1988 country wide floods affected 80 million people altogether. In 1998, there was a prolonged and devastating flood which affected about 60% of our country area and about 10 million people were affected.

On 15 November 2007, Cyclone Sidr struck the south-west coast of Bangladesh with winds up to 240 kilometers per hour. Damage and loss from Cyclone Sidr was concentrated on the southwest cost of Bangladesh. Four of Bangladesh’s thirty districts were classified as “severely affected” and a further eight were classified as “moderately affected”. Of the 2.3 million households affected to some degree by the effects of Cyclone Sidr, about one million were seriously affected. The number of deaths caused by Sidr is estimated at 3,406, with 1,001 still missing, and over 55,000 people sustaining physical injuries. The cyclone was the second natural disaster to affect Bangladesh in twelve months. Monsoon floods had previously caused extensive agricultural production losses and destruction of physical assets, totaling near US$ 1.1 billion.

Set up in 1997 to bring the information gap and strengthen the abilities of development organization and community to reduce disaster risk, NIRAPAD is an open coalition working in Bangladesh. CARE Bangladesh along with its disaster management partner NGOs established the coalition. All 21 members under the coalition have been working in the high risk areas of Bangladesh since long to reduce the risk of disaster on livelihood security of vulnerable household. And, each of the member organization has included disaster management as an integral component of their ongoing development program and earmark resources in their annual budget.

A constitution and strategic plan has been developed for NIRAPAD by its member organizations. The constitution and strategic plan clearly states the vision, mission, activities and management procedure of the network. NIRAPAD has an eight member steering committee that takes all the important decision to function it. NIRAPAD coordinator acts a Chief Executive Officer of the organization and by designation member secretary of the steering committee.

From the beginning, member organizations of NIRAPAD have subscribed to building a common fund. The member organizations continue to contribute to the fund on a yearly basis. The vision, mission and strategies of NIRAPAD are as follows:

Vision

"NIRAPAD envisions capable organizations and professionals in disaster risk reduction who are actively involved to build a disaster resilience community in Bangladesh."

Mission

NIRAPAD mission is to evolve as an effective, efficient network and resource centre in disaster risk management information, technology and training to build capable organizations and professionals in disaster risk reduction in Bangladesh

Strategies 2008-2009

NIRAPAD revised its strategies for 2008-2009 through participatory strategic planning (PSP) and set four strategies. The strategies identify as the means of attaining the goals, objectives and materializing the mission of NIRAPAD, these are

01.	Organizational Capacity Building of NIRAPAD

	To transform NIRAPAD as an effective and efficient network, all stakeholders felt the importance for further capacity building of NIRAPAD so that it can play increased roles and responsibilities in disaster risk reduction in the changed situation.

02.	Capacity Building of Member Organizations

	To contribute in disaster risk reduction significantly, all stakeholders also felt that NIRAPAD’s prime strategic focus should on capacity building of Member Organizations in disaster preparedness, response and mitigation (DPRM) as the Member Organizations’ capability in DPRM is far below the requirement.

03.	Knowledge and Information Management on Disaster Risk Reduction

	Given the need of the sector, it will be the strategic focus of NIRAPAD to feed the sector with disaster related information such as information on disaster situation, technologies, technical and resource persons, preparedness of public, private and NGO sectors in disaster response and mitigations, disaster related support and services available, etc.

04.	Advocacy, Lobby and Public Awareness Building on Disasters

	Being a networking organization, the scope of NIRAPAD should be embodied in advocacy and lobby with the policy makers, donors, corporate sectors and others for greater attention and resources allocation in disaster risk reduction. NIRAPAD also makes a strategic drive to build public awareness on new and more challenging issues like climate change.

Goals and Objectives

"To be developed as a sustainable organization with enhanced capacity to manage knowledge and information on disaster risk reduction for advocacy and members' capacity building."

01.	To establish NIRAPAD as an effective and strong network in disasters

02.	To improve capability and responsiveness of the member organizations in disaster risk reduction

03.	To improve and deploy resource pool (human, technological, informational, etc.) in disaster response

04.	To establish productive relations and collaboration with others to make a collective and concerted effort in disaster risk reduction

05.	To build awareness and preparedness of the community in emerging issues to reduce the disaster risks and threat

Organizational Principles

	Mutual respect, trust and tolerance

	Participatory decision-making

	Transparency and accountability

	Stewardship and cost-Effectiveness

	Gender sensitivity and diversity

	Environment friendly and climate sensitive

	Follow SPHERE Standard and HYOGO Framework

	Listen peoples voice and views

	Serve most vulnerable

Strengths and Experience

The name of our organization indicates that our strength lies mainly in maintaining a strong partnership link with a number of national/regional level NGOs who have been working throughout the country, in the high risk zones, for a long time and they are highly experienced in disaster management activities. As to our capability in information communication, we are experienced in using different modes in presenting and circulating disaster related information among concerned parties at different tires.

Preparing reports, newsletter, booklets, brochures, posters, video clips and organizing children art competition, debate, essay competition, exhibition for awareness building, on special occasions dissemination of information through our electronic mail, web portal are the common forms of information/message dissemination mechanism and we organize meetings, policy dialogue, workshop, seminars, focus group discussions, conduct researches and trainings in order to get the message crossed. Capacity building in consistent with or supplement to GoB role, at o\community and organization level is another vital areas. We have been maintaining a close tie with a pool of academically qualified and professionally skilled personnel who contributies in our activities on on a regular asis.

Completed/Ongoing Performances

01.	contingency planning with regard to earthquake hazard far Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet City Corporation area (Ongoing)

02.	Project in Urban Disaster Risk Reduction in Municipalities, Bangladesh (Ongoin)

03.	NIRAPAD strengthening and become and independent organization (Ongoing)

04.	A round table discussion on 'Earthquake Risk in Bangladesh: preparedness and Limitations'

05.	Education material for school children containing awareness messages on disaster

06.	Training module on Union Disaster Management Committee

07.	Handout package for UDMC Training

08.	Developed risk reduction action plans for 14 Unions under Ulipur and Chilmari Upazila of Kurigram (Action Aid, DIPECHI iii)

09.	Manual on post disaster psychosocial care

10.	Volunteers’/Change Agent's guide

11.	Posters on Disaster Preparedness

12.	Flyers and festoons containing awareness messages on disaster preparedness

13.	A Video clips on Cyclone Preparedness (What to be done prior to, during and post cyclone situations) for the communities

14.	Developed simulation models on cyclone and Floods for the DMCs

15.	Developed simulation focusing role of schools and students in disaster risk reduction

16.	Day Observance (NDPD, IDDR)

Future Plan

NIRAPAD want to develop strategic partnership with different organization and institute, who have expertise in disaster sector. Also it’s initiated to develop different training module for developing expertise in DRR special focus in climate change. Also want to build ability to organize training program regarding disaster management for increasing resource base of the organization.

Situation Reports

25 May, 2009

24 May, 2009

21 May, 2009

20 May, 2009