Bangladesh
 
Background
Bangladesh is a low-lying deltaic country in South Asia formed by the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna rivers, with approximate population of about 144 million within its 147,570 sq. km territory. The country has more than 230 rivers and rivulets, which aptly describes it a land of rivers.
The geographical location, topography, multiplicity of rivers and the monsoon climate render Bangladesh highly vulnerable to natural hazards as well as exposing the country to human-induced disasters. The coastal morphology of Bangladesh influences the impact of natural hazards on the area. Especially in the south western area, natural hazards increase the vulnerability of the coastal dwellers and slow down the process of social and economic development.
Over the past three decades, Bangladesh experienced more than 170 large-scale natural disasters that killed half a million people and affected more than 400 million. Seven of the 10 deadliest cyclones of the twentieth century hit Bangladesh in the past 40 years. The current density of population is one of the highest in the world.

Disaster Management
The nodal ministry for Disaster Management in Bangladesh is the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (formerly the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief). There are many agencies and NGOs assist and coordinate disaster management efforts in the country. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society along with some NGOs such as Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Center, CARE Bangladesh, ActionAid, Oxfam and others are involved in disaster preparedness and mitigation activities throughout the country. Some academic institutions such as Bangladesh University for Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka University, are assisting the nodal ministry in providing academic and technical inputs. There are several programs initiated by the United Nations and other international donor agencies for national capacity building in disaster management.Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense (BFSCD) has been nominated as the host training agency for the disaster response trainings of PEER programming for Medical First Response (MFR) and Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) in the country.

PEER in Bangladesh
In March 2003, Bangladesh was included as the fifth partner country in the OFDA-funded Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER), joining India, Indonesia, Nepal and the Philippines – the four PEER countries in Stage I of the program (1998-2003).
PEER implements activities in Bangladesh under the coordinating authority of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management and NSET has a Memorandum of Understanding.Disaster Management Bureau (DMB) for the implementation of PEER Program for Stage II.The designated training institution for Medical First Responder (MFR) and Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) training is the Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence (FSCD).

Training Courses Conducted by PEER in Bangladesh ..........