President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday stressed the critical necessity of advanced readiness alongside comprehensive urban planning to effectively counter and manage disaster threats.

"Alongside natural disasters, there are also manmade disasters. The greatest concern today is that if an earthquake occurs here, Dhaka city will be completely reduced to rubble. We have seen that in various cities around the world, the lack of planned urban systems results in a much higher number of casualties. Therefore, we need to pay greater attention to these issues," he stated.

The President urged authorities concerned to accord higher priority to urban management, with particular focus on structural construction guidelines, preserving natural river channels, and maintaining waterways free from contamination.

He made these observations while speaking at a function held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital this morning to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister M. Iqbal Hossain, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief Munshi Rafiqul Alam addressed the gathering as special guests.

Highlighting the recent seismic events in Kathmandu and Tehran, the President remarked, "The lack of planned systems significantly increases the number of casualties during disasters. Unplanned urbanisation and the construction of vulnerable buildings can lead to major catastrophes."

He noted that the populace of Bangladesh has historically endured and adapted to various natural hazards, including floods, cyclones, tidal surges, riverbank erosion, landslides, droughts, lightning strikes, and earthquakes.

Recalling the tremendous loss of life caused by the catastrophic 1970 cyclone and tidal surge—and Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani's symbolic "Assalamu Alaikum" response to the contemporary Pakistani administration—he pointed out that the 1970 disaster stood as a testament to how destructive natural hazards can be and the immense toll a state might bear as a consequence.

Turning to global climate issues, the President observed, "Climate change-induced disasters have become a matter of concern worldwide. Although Bangladesh's contribution to global warming is extremely small, the country is among those suffering the most from its adverse effects. As a result, various communities across the country, particularly people in coastal areas, are facing multiple risks."

He highlighted that Bangladesh has nonetheless attained remarkable milestones in disaster risk mitigation since gaining independence.

"Casualties have been reduced substantially through early warning systems, shelters, volunteer networks and increased public awareness. The country's capacity for preparedness, rescue, relief and rehabilitation in dealing with floods and other disasters has also improved," President Mirza Fakhrul added.

Underlining the imperative of proactive management, the President emphasized, "Bangladesh needs to move from early warning to early action. Preparations have to be made to deal with disasters before they occur and we must develop the capacity to recover quickly after disasters."

Addressing the operational difficulties encountered by disaster relief volunteers, he pointed out that no legislative framework has yet been enacted for them, calling on the concerned minister to initiate prompt steps toward enacting a dedicated law.

He further advocated for stricter environmental pollution controls, protection of wetlands and water bodies, risk-informed urban design, and the construction of resilient infrastructure to minimize disaster-induced vulnerabilities.

"Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had launched canal excavation programme to control floods and manage water flows. The present government has also undertaken the programme for natural conservation," the President noted, calling upon executive bodies to execute these schemes with dedication.

"Tree plantation is extremely important. The present government has undertaken a programme to plant around 250 million trees," he added, expressing confidence that the nationwide afforestation drive would play a pivotal role in disaster mitigation.

The President commended the high degree of risk awareness among residents in disaster-prone locations, specifically praising the proactive readiness demonstrated by communities in the haor belts of Sylhet.

He also acknowledged the meteorological department's ongoing efforts in broadcasting timely early warnings.

The President called upon citizens to respond immediately to official emergency alerts while ensuring the safety of neighboring households.

He urged widespread public participation in community-based disaster management drives and environmental protection initiatives to preserve rivers and canals.

Calling for unified national action to create a disaster-resilient country, president Mirza Fakhrul concluded, "Resilience Starts at Home. Let us move forward together and build a disaster-resilient Bangladesh."

Earlier, the President arrived at the venue around 10 am and inspected several exhibition stalls set up for the occasion. Before delivering his address, he presented awards to top-performing volunteers of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP).

The function was presided over by Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam, while Director General of the Department of Disaster Management and Relief Razwanur Rahman delivered the welcome address.

A documentary highlighting disaster management protocols and risk reduction strategies was also screened at the event.