Report on Visit and Workshop on Establishment of Technical Cooperation between China and Bangladesh on Flood Disaster Mitigation Program for Government Officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board, Ministry of Water Resources (24th May – 1st June 2005)

With funding support from DANIDA, seven senior officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Planning, Bangladesh made a technical study visit to China in October 2004. They were given comprehensive presentations by different Government organizations of the People’s Republic of China. ADPC organized and coordinated the China visit successfully. It was observed that Bangladesh could learn a lot from Chinese experience and expertise in dealing with floods and strengthening its flood disaster mitigation programs.

Following the successful first study visit of Bangladeshi officials to China in October 2004, ADPC, with assistance from Dr. Guna Nidhi Paudyal, Team Leader, DHI Water and Environment/Danish Hydraulic Institute, has explored the possibility of utilizing Chinese expertise in flood disaster mitigation in Bangladesh. In this connection, a technical proposal is jointly developed by BWDB and ADPC to establish technical co-operation between China and Bangladesh in order to strengthen Bangladesh efforts in reducing flood disasters using knowledge and experience of Chinese experts. The draft proposal was sent to the Chinese government before the second study visit of BWRB officials to China in May 2005.

Under the guidance of Ms. LingLing Jiang, ADPC’s project Manager for China and North-East Asia, four senior officials of BWDB, Ministry of Water Resources of Bangladesh made the second study visit to Beijing, China between 25th and 30th May 2005. In Beijing, the officials visited National Disaster Reduction Center of China (NDRCC)/Ministry of Civil Affairs (MoCA), P.R.China; Research Center on Flood and Drought Disaster Reduction (CDR), Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR); Remote Sensing Technology Application Center (RSC) of MoWR, P.R. China; Marine Environmental Forecasting Center of China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA); China Meteorological Administration (CMA) including the National Satellite Meteorological Center, the National Meteorological Information Center and the National Meteorological Center.

As ADPC’s close partner, NDRCC/MoCA coordinated and organized all activities in Beijing for the delegation of Bangladesh. Dr. Wang Zhenyao, Director-General of NDRCC/MoCA warmly welcomed the delegates and gave a presentation titled “National Disaster and Emergency Response Management in China”. The process of disaster information management in NDRCC impressed the delegates, and a lot of discussions were done between the officials of two countries during the meeting in NDRCC. Dr. Huang Jinchi, Deputy Director of CDR and Dr. Lu Jingxuan, Director of RSC, MoWR made impressive presentations titled “Flood Management in China” and “Remote Sensing Applications in Flood Disaster Monitoring in China” respectively.

The delegates were also warmly welcomed by Mr. Song Xuejia, Director of the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center of China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA). Mr. Song made a presentation titled “Experience and Practices of Ocean Disaster Reduction in China”, and Mr. Yu Fujiang of the Center made another presentation named “Storm Surge Forecast Service in China”. At CMA, Mr. Wang Bangzhong, Deputy Director-General of Department of Prediction and Disaster Mitigation of CMA accompanied the delegation to visit three Centers of CMA, i.e., National Satellite Meteorological Center; National Meteorological Information Center and National Meteorological Center. Mr. Chen Zhenlin, Deputy Director-General of Department of International Cooperation of CMA held a meeting to welcome the delegation on behalf of CMA, and three presentations were made for the delegates: Mr. Wang Bangzhong gave a presentation titled “The Situation and Outlook for Address Meteorological and Related Disaster in China”; Prof. Shen Xueshun of Center for Numerical Prediction Research/Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences gave a presentation titled “Development of an Unified NWP System in CMA and its Performance” and the third presentation from Prof. Wu Tongwen, BCC/CMA was “Climate Forecast and Model Development in Beijing Climate Center (BCC)”.

These visits and presentations extremely impressed the Bangladeshi officials. They expressed that they need China to help Bangladesh on flood mitigation in structural and non-structural measures. They are very much interested in flood mitigation by non-structure measures which China has taken, such as information sharing channel within the country, relocate people from flood prone areas before disaster, etc. The delegation also expressed that they need China’s experience and technology on flash flood forecasting, soil erosion (local measures), channel dispatching, and international river management, and so on. Particularly, Bangladesh is looking for a global warning system, such as a mid, long-term forecast system.

The relevant Chinese government agencies that the delegation visited all expressed to support the proposed project, and are willing to make their contributions to the project. NDRCC/MoCA has agreed formally to be a focal point/coordination agency in China to facilitate the proposed project. China and Bangladesh sides have recognized that ADPC should play the key role to facilitate the proposed project.

On 31st May, after returning from China, a workshop on Flood Disaster Mitigation in Bangladesh -- Establishment of Sino-Bangladesh Technical Co-operation was conducted at ADPC, Thailand. Dr. Suvit, Executive Director of ADPC was very pleased to welcome the delegation back from Beijing. He made congratulations on the successful study visit the delegation did in China. Mr. Kazi Golam Mustafa, the head of the delegation, Additional Director General of BWDB, Ministry of Water Resources, Bangladesh expressed his appreciation to ADPC for organizing such wonderful study visit. He also expressed that the project proposal will be completed in Dhaka and it will be sent to ADPC at soonest possible.

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