BSS-49 Joint exercise on earthquake preparedness 2019 concludes

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BSS-49

ISPR-JOINT EXERCISE

Joint exercise on earthquake preparedness 2019 concludes

DHAKA, Oct 31, 2019 (BSS) – The ninth annual Disaster Response Exercise and
Exchange (DREE) 2019 co-hosted by Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief
(MoDMR), Armed Forces Division (AFD) and United States Army Pacific (USARPAC)
was concluded today at Army Golf Club, Dhaka Cantonment, an ISPR release said
today.

Major General(retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, rcds, psc, Security Affairs
Adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina graced the closing ceremony as the
Chief Guest while State Minister, Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief
Dr. Md Enamur Rahman, MP was present as special guest.

Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral
Aurangzeb Chowdhury and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman
Serniabat were also present. Ambassadors and Defence/Military Attaches of
participating countries were present too, according to the release.

Main objectives of the exercise were to Test and enhance ability of
managing earthquake disaster at City Corporation Level through establishment
of Disaster Incident Management Team (DIMT) focusing SAR,
communication(DRECS), medical, shelter, relief, etc.

The exercise also tried to enhance knowledge and practice of international
tools and services for integration of international system into national
system.

The other objective of the exercise was to train divisional level
planners/disaster coordinators (military and civilian), so that they can
arrange similar exercise/training at divisional/local levels.

More than 500 participants from 237 different organizations participated
in DREE Bangladesh 2019. The number of participants was around 1200 during
the FTX. Moreover, over 100 participants from more than 20 countries also
joined this exercise, the release added.

Such exercise will enhance earthquake disaster management of Bangladesh and
also improve regional cooperation for disaster response as a whole.

DREE Bangladesh 2019 with the theme Resilience trough Preparedness will
definitely be a land mark in capacity building of Disaster Management in
Bangladesh.

DREE is the largest earthquake disaster related exercise in the Asia
Pacific region. The exercise was conducted from 27 October to 31 October 2019
simultaneously in Dhaka and Rangpur.

This year the theme of DREE was ‘Resilience through Preparedness’.

Dr Md Enamur Rahman, MP, State Minister, Ministry of Disaster Management
and Relief inaugurated the event.

The exercise began with a two-day Subject Matter Expert Exchange where
there was a series of presentations by Subject Matter Experts which actually
set the scene for Table Top Exercise (TTX). In the 3rd day an earthquake
scenario in Bangladesh was depicted.

Participants were divided into various functional groups for TTX. The TTX
focused to bring out the challenges and recommendations for strengthening
various Disaster Management frameworks as a whole and Disaster Incident
Management Team (DIMT) in particular.

All theoretical discussions during TTX were exercised through a massive
Field Training Exercise on the 4th day which was held in Bashundhara
Residential Area ‘L Block’.

During FTX, personnel were deployed in the field to test operational
efforts associated with earthquake response.

All stakeholders for earthquake management were integrated in the exercise.
Major events of the FTX were search and rescue, fire fighting, aero-medical
evacuation, logistics management, camp management, human remains management
etc.

Md. Tajul Islam, MP, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Co-
operatives attended the programme as the chief guest.

BSS/PR/TIT/AS/2000 HRS