Early warning systems aim to avoid or reduce the impact of natural hazards by generating and disseminating timely warnings. In Bangladesh, hundreds of fishermen die at sea each year from disasters without warning. Early warning systems have significantly reduced deaths from disasters in Bangladesh by allowing for evacuation and prepositioning of response efforts. Key stakeholders in Bangladesh's early warning system include government agencies, NGOs, and community groups, but there is still work to be done to strengthen last mile warning dissemination and cross-border coordination.

1. Early Warning Systems and
Coordination
Shakeb Nabi

2. Main Mandate of Early Warning Systems
Every year, hundreds of Bangladeshi fishermen die at sea or disappear
while fishing in the Bay of Bengal due to natural disasters.
Above 4,000 deaths from more than 500 passenger launch accidents in
last 38 years in Bangladesh.
The death is Bangladesh due to disaster has been drastically reduced

3. Early Warning?
Early warning systems can be set up to avoid or reduce the impact of hazards
such as floods, landslides, storms, and forest fires. The significance of an
effective early warning system lies in the recognition of its benefits by local
people.
An Early Warning System (EWS) can be defined as a set of capacities needed to
generate and disseminate timely and meaningful warning information of the
possible extreme events or disasters (e.g. floods, drought, fire, earthquake and
tsunamis) that threatens people's lives.
Prepositioning

6. Impact of Early Warning Systems
Reduction in the loss of life and property
Reduce the impact of epidemic/Pandemic
Reduction in crop loss: early harvest, short duration, late/early variety
Cattles and Livestock: reduction in death/epidemic: safer places, storage of food
and other essential needs
Plan for the response/prepositioning

7. Key Stakeholders
Flood Forecasting and Warning Systems (FFWS)
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD)
Department of Disaster Management (DDM)
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR)
Cyclone Preparedness Program (CPP)
Earthquake Preparedness Program
Private Sector (Telecom, Insurance, Logistics, Philanthropy)
Civil Society (NGOs, INGOs)
Community and community groups

8. Our Role and Coordination
Strengthen the knowledge gap (innovation, research, indigenous):
Bring the private sectors on board (insurance, CSR): Crop and cattle insurance,
index based
Advocate with the government and other stakeholders for strengthening Cross
Border Early Warning Systems, Early Warning as a Right, Insurance (who pays?),
community based
Strengthen the last mile connectivity: demystification and dissemination

9. Planning for the ACT Forum
What are the roles that we as ACT Forum should be playing in strengthening the
early warning systems in Bangladesh (with community and at the national level)
1. Implementation
2. Research
3. Advocacy
4. Knowledge generation and sharing

10. Discussion, Queries, Comments
Thank You
nabi.shakeb@gmail.com