Background
All the territories of Bangladesh are threatened by natural hazards to various degrees. Coastal areas are more vulnerable than the other parts of Bangladesh. Most of the seasonal and tropical storms form in the Indian Ocean and struck coastal area of Bangladesh over the Bay of Bengal. A severe Cyclone Sidr (Category IV) formed in the Bay of Bengal and hit offshore island of Bangladesh in November 15, 2007 at 1830 hours. This cyclone caused extensive damage to lives and property.

On the appeal to donor to assistance, members of the Local Consultative Group agreed to conduct a Joint Damage, Loss, and Needs Assessment (JDNLA) on the impact of Cyclone Sidr on December 12, 2007. The aim of the assessment was to identify priority areas to support the Government of Bangladesh in cyclone recovery efforts as well as to recommend priority interventions for a long-term disaster management strategy.

15-year long term strategic plan of action for strengthened disaster risk reduction and mitigation was developed under the Cyclone Sidr Joint Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment (JDLNA).  Component D1 of the World Bank-financed Emergency 2007 Cyclone Recovery and Restoration Project (ECRRP), under implementation by the DMB, directly supports the startup implementation of activities envisaged under 3 of the 5 strategic pillars of JDLNA’s long term program on strengthening disaster risk mitigation (DRM) in Bangladesh.  Whereas the ECRRP will provide an overall credit of US$109 million to GOB, over a 4-year implementation period between December 2008 and December 2012, the total amount available under component D1 is US$10 million. Component D1 is to contribute towards the project development objective (PDO) of ‘building long-term preparedness through strengthened disaster risk management’, through the strengthening and enhancement of the long-term disaster risk mitigation and reduction ability of the DMB. Among other things, this will entail the creation of two dedicated cells in the DMB for: (a) multi-hazard mapping and vulnerability, and; (b) disaster damage and needs assessment. 
The strategic areas of the JDLNA directly supported under component D1 include (i) risk identification and assessment; (ii) strengthening and enhancing emergency preparedness, and; (iii) institutional capacity building related to DRM.  These entail structural and non-structural interventions both generally at the national level and those specifically targeting 12 severely affected districts and upazilas from Cyclone Sidr.  Component D1 includes the following three subcomponents:
Sub-component D1.1:     Capacity Building of the Disaster Management Bureau (DMB);
Sub-component D1.2:     Support towards Detailed National-level Multi-Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, Modeling and Mapping;
Sub-component D1.3:       Strengthening and Enhancing Emergency Preparedness &
Response in 12 Severely Cyclone Affected Districts and Upazillas.

 

Objectives

Objectives of the project are-
  1. To facilitate recovery mechanism from the damage to livelihoods and community infrastructure caused by Cyclone Sidr 2007
  2. To build long-term preparedness through strengthened disaster risk reduction and management by addressing risk identification and assessment; strengthening and enhancing emergency preparedness and institutional & community capacity building by activating DMCs;
  3. Support for the capacity building of the Disaster Management Bureau (DMB);
  4. Support for detailed multi-hazard risk vulnerability modeling and assessment, and the strengthening of emergency preparedness at the community levels by establishing a MRVA cell;
  5. To provide, as appropriate, advice, support, information and influence on all disaster issues affecting the communities at local, Upazilla and district level and
  6. 6. To provide emergency relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction for victims of natural disaster through standardized to implement post-disaster damage and needs assessment policy and guild line by establishing a Damage-loss and Needs Assessment (DNA) cell
 

Damage Loss and Need Assessment (DNA)

Many training and other activities are currently being undertaken in the national level. This sub-component will focus on improving the capacity within the DMB and local level to undertake the following activities: 

    1. Institutionalization of the DNA methodology across all government departments and at all administrative levels, down to the Upazila level, and coordinated by a DNA cell within the DMB

This activity is designed to institutionalize the Damage-loss and Needs Assessment (DNA) methodology in order that the Government of Bangladesh, directed by the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MoFDM) is able to assess the impacts of a disaster and to address the needs that arise. As such, the Disaster Management Bureau, under the Disaster Management and Relief Division (DMRD) of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management will be the focal point for data collection and assessment of needs. This role is outlined in the Standing Order on Disasters (SOD).  Activities under this subcomponent are designed to undertake (i) a revision of the existing data collection template (FORM D) to reflect international standards and best practices in Damage-loss and Needs Assessment (DNA), and (ii) to build the capacity of relevant agencies and administrative levels to conduct DNA.

 
These two activities are outlined in greater detail below
    1. Data collection (FORM D):  The SOD mandates that Upazilas and Districts collect data on the damages incurred from a natural and manmade disaster via a simple template known as FORM D. The approval of FORM D is the first step to the institutionalization of the DNA methodology. Once the newly revised FORM D has been approved, the data points included in the form can be included in the Disaster Management Information Centre (DMIC) database. After submitting the forms, they are immediately available on the central server in Dhaka. Successful implementation of a computerized disaster information management system will be initiated. The DNA cell will be responsible, with the assistance of the International Expert on DNA, to develop FORM D, and to institutionalize the data collection system.
    2. Training and Capacity building in data collection: Training and capacity building in the DNA methodology will require several types of activities.  First, the data collection system must be reconfigured to come into line with the newly revised Standing Orders on Disaster (SOD).  According to the SOD, the Disaster Management Bureau will oversee a grassroots-driven data collection mechanism that mandates disaster management committees at the Upazilla and the District levels to collect and submit relevant data that is submitted to the DMB. To comply with these revisions, the following activities are envisioned:
      1. Establishment of DNA cell in the DMB;
      2. Training on National Level in DNA and
      3. Training on Local Level (Upazila/District)

    Multi-Hazard Riks and Vulnerability Assessment Mapping and Modeling (MRVA)

    Strengthening and Enhancing DMB capacity for the Systematic Identification, Quantification and Monitoring of Multi-Hazard Risks and Vulnerabilities

     

    The objectives of this activity are to strengthen and enhance country capacity in carrying out systematic multi-hazard risk assessments and consolidating and maintaining hazard risk information at central (national) and disaggregated (district) levels.  This will contribute towards the realization of the specific priority attached in the country’s disaster management strategy of ‘defining and redefining the risk environment’ of the country. There are two broad sub-activity groups under this activity, including: (a) capacity building of the DMB in carrying out risk assessments and maintaining systematic risk information, databases, maps and models, and; (b) comprehensive national and district level risk assessment exercise.
    The main activities supported under this are:

     
      1. Establishment of an MRVA cell. 
      2. Identification of firm for multi-hazard risk and vulnerability assessments, modeling and mapping and
      3. MRVA’s Capacity Building and strengthening for consolidating and maintaining hazard risk information at central (national) and disaggregated (district) levels.

    This subcomponent will finance the procurement of an international firm, preferably with association and partnership arrangements with relevant firms from the country. The firm will carry out a national macro-level and district level multi-hazard risk assessment, modeling and mapping exercise to establish a multi-hazard risk assessment, modeling, and mapping center which will be able to generate maps for the national and sub-national level along with the following activities:
      1. Systematic risk scoping;
      2. Conducted multi-hazard risk assessments, modeling and mapping and
      3. Risk Information Management System developed.

    The objective of the establishment of MRVA cell is to strengthen and enhance DMB’s capacity in carrying out systematic multi-hazard risk assessments and consolidating and maintaining hazard risk information at all levels. This will contribute towards the realization of the specific priority attached in the country’s disaster management strategy of ‘defining and redefining the risk environment’ of the country, in turn leading to:
    1. enhanced institutional understanding of potential future economic losses resulting from a range of natural disasters;
    2. enhanced country capacity in reviewing the physical, human and financial exposures to hazard risks at the national and disaggregated (district) levels;
    3. identification of gaps (thematic and geographical) and weaknesses in existing risk assessments in respect of various risks such as floods, earthquakes, cyclones, etc.
    4. segregation of risks/risk levels into the categories of economically acceptable and non-acceptable risks – that is those that need to be mitigated through physical and non-structural interventions;
    5. updating and synchronizing emergency preparedness plans and procedures at various levels and developing appropriate capacity building programs.

    The amount of financing for this sub-component D-1 is about US$ 10 million equivalent to taka 6,895 lakh. Taka 1392.20 lakh (about US$ 2 million) has been allocated for the International Consulting firm on ‘Multi-hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessments (MRVA), Modeling and Mapping’ activities at DMB. From the core activities for MRVA, first activity i.e. establishes the MRVA cell that has to be done before engaging the International Consulting Firm. As per Operational Manual of the ECRRP, a proposal is under consideration by the Project Director for the formation of the MRVA Cell. After the establishment of the MRVA cell with some key staffs of DMB, national consultant and project staffs will make a comprehensive plan for the strengthening institutional capacity building and other activities together with the International Consulting firm. As the budget of the activities of MRVA exceeds 100 million BDT, the procurement proposal needed to approve by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP).