Staff Reporter
Specialized team formation and training courses have been initiated by the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department to increase capacity to deal with all natural and man-made disasters, including earthquakes.
The training course was inaugurated by Brigadier General Muhammad Zahed Kamal, NDC, AFWC, PSC, Director General of the Department, at 10 am on April 20 at the Fire Service and Civil Defense Multipurpose Training Ground, Purbachal, Narayanganj. At that time, Director (Training, Planning and Development) of the Department, Lt. Col. MA Azad Anwar, PSC; Principal of the Fire Service Training Complex, Mr. Md. Ohidul Islam, Deputy Director (Ap: and Main:) of the Department, Mr. Md. Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan, Deputy Director of Dhaka Division, Mr. Md. Saleh Uddin, and officers and employees of various posts were present.
Fifty firefighting and rescue workers from various stations have been attached to the Fire Service and Civil Defense Multipurpose Training Ground, Purbachal, with the aim of forming a specialized team to deal with fires, earthquakes and other disasters. This specialized training course will run from 20-4-2025 to 01-05-2025. Through the training, they will be professionally trained for search and rescue work in major disasters like earthquakes. In addition, the necessary number of search and rescue equipment will be stored in Purbachal for these rescue workers.
It is worth noting that a severe earthquake recently occurred in Myanmar. Bangladesh is also located in an earthquake-prone area. According to information provided by earthquake experts, a major earthquake can strike Bangladesh at any time. Small earthquakes occurring at different times are believed to be a precursor to a major earthquake. In view of this, the Fire Service and Civil Defense have been conducting various programs including mass communication, exercises, surveys and inspections to train volunteers and increase awareness.
In addition, the Fire Service and Civil Defense are expressing hope that this specially trained team will be able to play an important role in any disaster in Dhaka city, especially in post-earthquake rescue operations. In his opening speech, the Director General said, “We are decentralizing our department’s officers, including manpower and rescue equipment, so that in a major earthquake, everyone has the opportunity to conduct operational and administrative activities from different locations, without facing losses all at once.” He further said, “Those who will be trained through this specialized course will be able to play an effective role in such disasters as a specialized team.” He also said that such training will be organized in phases to increase the capacity of others.