Initiatives have been taken to launch Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in economic zones under Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA). Initially, BCP piloting will be done at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar at Mirsarai in Chattogram and Meghna Industrial Area at Narayanganj.
The BCP is aimed at protecting investment in economic zones from natural disasters, reducing disaster losses, maintaining the supply chain, and returning to normalcy quickly after a disaster. The Activities Division of the Bangladesh Planning Commission is assisting BEZA in piloting the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) under the National Resilience Program.
The BCP strategy was presented at an inception workshop at a hotel in Dhaka on Thursday (3 March). BUET Professor Dr. Bakib Ahsan presented the BCP strategy. He said that through BCP practice, it will be possible to strengthen disaster-resilient investment and sustainable development.
The workshop was chaired by BEZA’s Executive Member Mohammad Irfan Sharif and was addressed by Nasima Begum, Member of Socio-Economic Infrastructure Department of the Planning Commission, Sudipto Mukherjee, Resident Representative of UNDP, Khandaker Ahsan Hossain, Head of Activities Department and Dr. Nurun Nahar, NRP Project Director.
Speaking on the occasion, Mohammad Irfan Sharif said that in addition to considering disaster risk, the impact of the fourth industrial revolution and the transition strategy should be considered in formulating development projects. 50 representatives from the public and private sectors participated in the workshop.
It was mentioned in the workshop that although there is a limited practice of business continuity plan in some sectors including the banking sector, this is the first such plan in the industrial sector in Bangladesh.
It is to be noted that BCP is prevalent in several Asian countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand. The workshop was attended by 50 representatives from various government and non-government organisations.
