Chattogram authorities adopt a landmark anticipatory landslide action plan, integrating early warnings, urban planning and community preparedness to reduce disaster losses and embed proactive risk management in city development strategies.
Authorities in Bangladesh’s port city of Chattogram, a city in southeastern Bangladesh, on Sunday (December 14) finalized a landmark Anticipatory Action Plan on landslide risk management, pledging to shift from reactive disaster response to a proactive and evidence-based approach to protect lives and infrastructure.
The plan was endorsed at a day-long high-level workshop at Hotel Peninsula, where City Corporation Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain urged stakeholders to broaden disaster planning beyond landslides. “We should consider multi-hazards like earthquakes and waterlogging for the next year’s disaster cycle and all stakeholders should work shoulder to shoulder to mitigate those disasters,” he said as chief guest.
The participatory workshop reviewed ward-level disaster preparedness plans and consolidated feedback into a unified City Corporation guideline. Officials said the plan would be formally incorporated into the City Corporation’s Annual Development Plan, making landslide risk management a permanent component of the city’s development strategy.
Chattogram Development Authority Chairman Engineer Md Nurul Karim chaired the event, describing the plan as a “living document” designed to guide early action before hazards strike. He said the integration of CDA Master Plan data would make the framework more authentic and actionable.
A keynote presentation by Dr Morshed Hasan Molla and Shahriar Alam of Young Power in Social Action outlined a seven-step framework used to develop the plan, drawing on urban risk assessments, key informant interviews and child-centric community consultations. Dr Molla said the plan would be shared with all stakeholders and updated regularly to ensure continued effectiveness.
Linking local initiatives to national policy, Fatema Meherunnessa, manager of anticipatory action at Save the Children, highlighted the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations funded project “Anticipatory Action for Landslide.” She said the initiative strengthens the capacity of the Bangladesh Meteorology Department and delivers life-saving early warnings to at-risk communities. Insights from the workshop would feed into a new national landslide protocol, helping bridge local and central government efforts, she added.
Speakers also stressed the need for long-term sustainability and a rights-based approach. Professor Iqbal Sarowar of Chattogram University warned that the responsibility to protect citizens must extend beyond the lifespan of any single project. Eng Delowar Mazumdar, president of SONAK, called for alternative livelihoods through Social Resilience and Safety-net Programs for residents of vulnerable hill areas, saying they are an essential part of the city’s community.
Participants said the finalised plan marked a decisive step for Chattogram towards anticipatory action, aiming to reduce disaster losses by acting before landslides and other hazards occur.
