doi: 10.3850/S1793924013001946

Prioritization of Water-Related Disaster Risk Reduction in Bangladesh

Stephen Hodson School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University Cranfield, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, United Kingdom. Stephen_hodson@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

Bangladesh is exposed to some of the most frequent, intense and challenging water-related hazards in the world. Since 2005, countries have been developing their disaster management strategies in accordance with the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA), a 10 year plan for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), to various degrees. Findings of this paper give an overall perspective of progress toward achieving the five strategic priorities (PFAs) of the HFA by focusing on water-related disaster risk reduction. Recent publications recommend reviewing progress more explicitly from a water management but also a sector specific perspective.

This paper employs a similar methodology to the HFA Monitor Tool with indicators modified and developed to focus specifically on water subjects. The findings are compared with the views containedwithin the BangladeshNational Progress Report submitted for 2011 and this paper provides a critique of some of those views. In contrast to the National Report which shows the most amount of progress achieved for PFAs 1 & 5, the least amount of progress is reported for these areas. Noticeable gaps have been identified and it is argued that future agendas should focus on applying explicit interventions in the water sector. For the water sector there are particular challenges and some of the most important relate to making international frameworks such as the HFA a national and local priority with a strong institutional basis for implementation.

Keywords: Hyogo framework, Water sector, Water management.

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