The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A day long workshop organised by Mass-line Media Center in assistance with 'XIX Article 19 Global Campaign' held in Barisal NGO Development Network auditorium on Wednesday stressed on adopting effective information strategy for reducing climate risk.

Dr. Habibur Rahman, district president of human rights alliance, presided over and Shamim Reza, teacher of journalism department of Dhaka University and Rabiul Islam, senior coordinator of MMC, worked as resource persons in the workshop.

Mir Maniruzzaman, district contributor of MMC, conducted the programme.

Anisur Rahman Swapan and Swapan Khondokar, president and secretary of Barisal Metropolitan Journalist Union, G M Babor Ali and Liton Bashar, president and secretary of Barisal journalist Union, Nazrul Biswas of Barisal Reporters Unity, Hemayetuddin Himu, secretary of Jhalakati Press Club, Saifur Rahman Miron and Mintu Bose, cultural activist, Enayet Hossain Chowdhury of Nagorik Parishad, Ranajit Dutta and Jebunnesa Begum, NGO organisers and 15 others participated in the discussions.

The speakers stressed on changing weather cautionary signaling systems to be unitary for all regions and easier for understanding to the mass peoples. Coordinated and interactive local government and administrative channels functioning round the clock in pre and post disaster period would also be activated properly for giving accurate and speedy information to all sectors.

Expansion of radio frequency and community radio services and making local committees of disaster management, volunteers of cyclone preparedness programs of Red Crescent well equipped and repeatedly giving weather signals by voice messages in Bangla over mobile phone also suggested.

A sustainable system should be introduced in combination of wide wireless and radio networks in remote areas and floating vessels to face emergency needs of information during power and communication disruptions and it should be a part of disaster management, the participants opined.