Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Bangladesh and India have agreed to bolster their cooperation in disaster management through sharing of each other’s experience in early warning, evacuation, rescue and relief operation.
The agreement came during a meeting between Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh and visiting Bangladesh Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya at the home minister’s office in New Delhi on Friday, according to a message received in Dhaka.
Maya is leading a Bangladesh delegation to the Asian Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction being held in the Indian capital.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali and Secretary of Disaster and Relief Ministry Md. Shah Kamal were present during the meeting.
The Bangladesh minister apprised the Indian home minister of how Bangladesh over the years has developed an efficient system to deal with natural disasters like cyclones and floods.
Bangladesh, he said, can still benefit from Indian experience in rescue and relief operation during earthquakes. In this connection, he mentioned the 2001 powerful earthquake that hit Gujarat, killing thousands.
Maya also sought Indian help in imparting training to Bangladesh manpower, especially in early disaster warning and rescue and relief operation in the aftermath of earthquakes.
Rajnath said his country was “all prepared” to provide any cooperation Bangladesh requires in further improving its capacity to tackle natural disasters and mitigate sufferings of the victims.
He said India and Bangladesh face some common natural calamities like cyclones, floods and lightning.
Rajnath thanked Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for strongly pursuing a “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism.
India, he said, appreciates Dhaka’s firm stance not to allow its land for use by terrorists and militants.
BBN/SSR/AD
