ZCZC
BSS-25
SAFETY-TRAINING-BOATMEN
Govt, IOM conduct training on sea safety for boatmen
COX’S BAZAR, March 6, 2021 (BSS) – International Organization for Migration (IOM) in coordination with Moheshkhali Upazila administration and other public institutions conducted training on Safety at Sea for 200 boatmen.
The two-day long safety training programme based on the island of Moheshkhali held from March 5-6 with the support of Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), said a press release.
The Cox’s Bazar-Moheshkhali sea route is one of the most important routes in this region used frequently by development agencies and tourists alike. Like Cox’s Bazar’s mainland, the island of Moheshkhali is extremely prone to natural hazards such as cyclones.
According to local administration, nearly one-third of the 300,000 people living on the island are at risk.
“IOM has been very active in Moheshkhali and continuously assisting host communities. We are expecting that more will follow the suit and address the urgent needs of this remote island,” Asheq Ullah Rafiq, lawmaker of Cox’s Bazar-2 constituency.
Since 2019, IOM has been working in the Moheshkhali Upazila and its five unions on capacity building of Upazila and union Disaster Management Committee (DMC) members.
Md Mahfuzur Rahman, Moheshkhali’s Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), appreciated the initiative while inaugurating the programme on March 5.
“Through the IOM’s continuous support to the Moheshkhali Upazila, our volunteers have benefited from several much-needed Disaster Risk Reduction capacity building activities and our community has received hygiene materials to support us in the fight against COVID-19 when we needed it the most,” he said.
Along with the local administration, local Fire Service and Civil Defense, Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP), Bangladesh’s Internal Water Transportation Authority and Coast Guard also actively participated in the training.
“Several hundred boatmen are actively working on the Cox’s Bazar-Moheshkhali sea route, but they haven’t had access to any proper training on safety at sea so far. It is imperative for them to have access to this type of life-saving capacity building activity,” explained Patrick Charignon, IOM Cox’s Bazar Transition and Recovery Programme Coordinator.
The training was organized in two batches with 100 participants each day. Members of the Upazila and Union DMC in Moheshkhali also participated in the training. After completing their respective module, IOM provided the boatmen with sea safety equipment.
As part of the training, the boatmen learned new concepts on different types of topics, ranging from DRR, basic firefighting, initial rescue, cyclone early warning system and behavior change in communication for proper use of sea safety equipment (life jacket, life buoy, radium sticker, power bank and torch light).
“Today, I have the chance to learn things that will immensely help me in my daily job,” said boatman Rajan after completing the training.
“From now on, I am confident that I will be able to keep myself as well as the passengers I carry during my journeys at sea safe.”
BSS/PR/SAS/MRU/1715hrs