Founder of Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Centre (BDPC), Saidur Rahman is the only Bangladeshi to have received the Certificate of Distinction under the UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction from ISDR in 2002. Graduated from Australia Counter Disaster College, majoring in Disasters Services Administration, Muhammad Saidur Rahman organized and conducted large scale disaster relief and recovery activities from 1972 to 1991. With the belief that having risk reduction strategies in place is more effective than reacting to disasters after they occur, he is promoting the fundamental research on disaster risk reduction measures. Saidur Rahman is the author of numerous books including the “Disaster Management Handbook for Bangladesh”, which is widely used in the country. He also represents all the national NGOs of Bangladesh at the Local Consultative Group- Disaster Emergency Response, the highest forum of the Government of Bangladesh and Development Partners for Disaster Management.
