Attachments
Introduction
Bangladesh is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. While nationally, cyclones and floods pose the greatest overall risk, Bangladesh’s north-eastern and south-eastern regions are also vulnerable to earthquakes.1 Geographically, Bangladesh is situated in one of the most seismically active regions globally, lying over the boundary of two tectonic plates. Studies show the dense urban areas of Chattogram, Sylhet, Dhaka, Rangpur, Bogra, Mymensingh, Comilla, and Rajshahi are located within active seismic zones2 , and as such, a major earthquake could result in widespread destruction. Indeed, the recent 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck nearby Nepal in April 2015, also highlights the potential damage that can be caused by the unexpected nature of such a disaster.
Taking this into consideration, and reflecting on lessons learned from Nepal, a three-day simulation-based logistics gaps analysis workshop was held in Dhaka from 27-29 August 2019, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Global Logistics Cluster (GLC). The disaster simulation workshop placed humanitarian logisticians in a real-life scenario and built on ongoing logistics preparedness efforts to identify potential gaps and bottlenecks and strengthen supply chain operations in the face of large-scale emergencies, such as an earthquake.