Experts urged Bangladesh to activate its underused Disaster Management Fund to strengthen anticipatory action, reduce disaster losses and improve climate resilience amid widening funding gaps and increasing dependence on foreign support.
Bangladesh must urgently activate its underused Disaster Management Fund (DMF) to strengthen anticipatory action and reduce disaster losses before hazards strike, speakers said at a high-level national consultation in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The consultation, titled “National Consultation on Institutionalizing the Disaster Management Fund (DMF) for Anticipatory Action in Bangladesh”, was held at the Sheraton Dhaka in Banani.
The event was organised by Save the Children in collaboration with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief with support from European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, according to a press release.
Speaking as chief guest, Abu Daud Md Gulam Mostafa, joint secretary of the ministry, said Bangladesh needs to mobilise dormant national resources to move from a reactive disaster response system to a proactive resilience model.
“The sleeping fund needs to be awake to tackle disasters through anticipatory action,” he said.
He said global evidence shows that every $1 invested in early action can save up to $7 in later disaster response costs. However, he noted that several structural barriers continue to limit effective use of the fund, including institutional trust deficits and uneven allocations at district level.
Officials at the consultation said some district-level disaster funds currently range from as little as Tk10,000 to a maximum of Tk10 lakh.
The consultation took place amid growing concern over Bangladesh’s dependence on foreign financing for anticipatory action programmes.
Organisers said pilot initiatives reached nearly 430,000 people ahead of major hazards in 2024, but more than 54% of vulnerable households still remain outside coverage because of funding shortages. They also warned that Bangladesh is facing a projected $42 million funding gap for anticipatory action programmes in 2025.
Presenting findings from recent operations in landslide-prone areas of Chattogram and Bandarban, Fatema Meherunnessa, manager of anticipatory action, said investing Tk1 in early action before landslides can save up to Tk15 in avoided losses and damages.
Despite the economic benefits, she said the current DMF structure remains largely focused on post-disaster response mechanisms.
Participants also identified a major administrative obstacle in the rule requiring unused annual funds to be returned to the government treasury by June 30, limiting year-round disaster preparedness efforts.
Muhummad Wasiqul Islam, senior assistant secretary of the Finance Division, said the government is considering steps to make the fund more effective in disaster-prone areas and is willing to review treasury return regulations.
Momenul Islam, director of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, stressed the importance of aligning future DMF allocations with scientific forecasting thresholds and impact-based early warning systems.
Chairing the session, Netai Chandra Sarkar, director of the Department of Disaster Management, said that although the existing DMF framework does not explicitly mention anticipatory action, there are operational opportunities within the current legal structure to introduce forecast-based financing triggers.
The consultation ended with broad agreement that activating the DMF is essential for strengthening Bangladesh’s long-term climate resilience and disaster preparedness.
Participants also endorsed a roadmap that includes creating a dedicated budget code for the Disaster Management Fund across ministries and deputy commissioners’ offices to improve coordination and accelerate early action financing linked to meteorological forecasts.
