ADPC’s workshop on disaster preparedness for media professionals gathered Bangladeshi journalists from around the country to a two-day workshop in Dhaka. The workshop was organized to build the journalists’ capacity to better report on disaster preparedness.

“Media has the network all over the country. That is why it needs to take a role in risk communication,” said Dr. V. Hari Prasad from ADPC during his lecture on disaster preparedness for the journalists.

Supported by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the workshop was participated by media professionals from Barisal, Dhaka, Chittagong, and Khulna – including print, radio, television and online journalists.

The journalists shared stories of the challenges they have faced in covering disasters, key among which were difficulties in accessing disaster-affected communities in time. The reporters requested for follow-up sessions and workshops on disaster preparedness to help them make disaster risk information easily accessible for the general public.

“The challenge is to include three types of initiatives: building media capacity, creating general public awareness, and engaging policy makers and media gatekeepers. Today we have mobilized the first group,” said Mr. Jamil Ahmed, CEO of Journalism Training & Research Institute and facilitator of workshop.



Media professionals travelled from around Bangladesh to discuss about disaster preparedness and media’s role in communicating
risk.


“All efforts in disaster preparedness should penetrate down to the communities that are at risk. Experience has shown that
preparedness works, and Bangladesh has been a forerunner that all countries can learn from,” stated Mr. Arne Haug,
Charge d’Affairs of the Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka in his opening remarks.



Environmental journalist, Executive Director of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association Ms. Rizwana Hasan together with
Jamil Ahmed, CEO of JATRI discussed with the journalists why reporting on disaster risk reduction is worth the investment.



Mr. Mohammad Abdul Wazed, Director General of the Department of Disaster Management of Bangladesh held the closing
remarks of the workshop.