Being blighted by the plethora of disasters, hazards, and issues of comprehensive aftermaths of global warming, adverse environment, and climatic variability, the quintessential urgency to launch a discipline aiming at addressing the holistic approaches of disaster management was a logical demand of time. With a view to imparting knowledge, skills and academic training among diverse pool of professionals, students and communities, Government of the Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh (GoB) has shifted paradigm from reactive response to proactive disaster risk reduction. As part of institutionalizing disaster management of GoB, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between University of Dhaka and Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP).
Center for Disaster and Vulnerability Studies (CDVS) was established on September 2, 2009 at the University of Dhaka following the MoU. Since then, Master of Disaster Management and Diploma in Disaster Management courses were offered to the professionals and graduates with the support of CDMP. With the increase in number of applicants for the timely discipline, University of Dhaka, upon the approval of the Syndicate, transformed CDVS to an independent Institute on December 15, 2011 as the 16th Statute. The Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerabilities Studies started official journey in 2012 with Senate approval on 2nd July 2012.