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On the 18th of September 2025, a webinar on the baseline research findings of the Standing Orders on Disaster (SoD) 2019 was organized by the Bangladesh Preparedness Partnership (BPP) program of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

In this blended webinar, the BPP Academic Sector Lead, Prof. Mahbuba Nasreen (Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, University of Dhaka), presented the keynote paper. The session was moderated by Mr. Edwin M. Salonga, Program Lead, CBDRR and CBA (ADPC).

Prof. Nasreen, while discussing the SoD survey research, highlighted that she and her team conducted a thematic assessment of the SoD’s implementability in Bangladesh. The study covered three disaster and climate-vulnerable regions of Bangladesh: Kurigram, Bagerhat, and Cox’s Bazar.

In her speech, Dr Nasreen pointed out the challenges in SoD implementation at national, sub-national, and community levels. These challenges were examined through thematic areas such as:

• functionality of disaster management committees (DMCs),
• coordination among actors,
• extent of community engagement, and
• gender equality and social inclusion (GESI).

The distinguished panel of disaster management experts shared their valuable remarks on the keynote paper. The panelists were:

• Md. Mohsin, Former Secretary, MoDMR & Senior Partnership Advisor, WFP
• Mr. Razwanur Rahman, Director General, Department of Disaster Management
• Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Abu Nayem Md. Shahidullah, Advisor, FBCCI Safety Council

The panelists acknowledged that the findings presented by Prof. Nasreen are very timely. They emphasized that these findings would greatly support the revision of the SoD (2019) and the existing NPDM, making them more practical and implementable policy documents.

Finally, the moderator, Mr. Edwin M. Salonga, extended his gratitude to the keynote speaker and the panelists.