Standing Committee on Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief
Profile
- Head
- —
- Role
- Chairman
- Annual budget
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- Staff
- —
- Established
- 1972
- Legal basis
- Constitution of Bangladesh, Article 76 (a standing committee shall be appointed for each ministry); Jatiya Sangsad Rules of Procedure, Rules 190-230 (standing committees on ministries: constitution, quorum, powers to summon witnesses and examine accounts, reporting duties).
As of 17 May 2026, the Standing Committee on Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad has not been constituted: the first session (12 March to 30 April 2026, 25 sittings) formed only five procedural committees and parliament is currently in recess. The ministry itself is simultaneously managing three interlocked crises within the 90-day window: (1) Northeastern haor flash-flood response (April-May 2026): severe flash floods driven by upstream Meghalayan rainfall inundated haor areas across Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Netrokona, and Kishoreganj; BDRCS Situation Report 1 (30 April) recorded 1 river station under severe flood condition; government announced Tk 7,500/month for three months to approximately 100,000 affected households, disbursement conditional on accurate local-administration beneficiary lists per PM's 7 May directive; (2) Cyclone and flood shelter infrastructure: 320 shelters built in 258 upazilas across 43 districts, 128 additional flood shelters and 90 multipurpose cyclone shelters under procurement; (3) Lightning mortality: minister committed to long-term action plan in parliament on 27 April 2026 including haor-region lightning rods and shelters, following persistent Jatiya Sangsad pressure.
Recent activity
- 2026-03-12 other 13th Jatiya Sangsad (elected 12 February 2026, sworn 17 February 2026) convened its first sitting. Five procedural standing committees were formed: Business Advisory Committee, Parliamentary Committee, Special Committee on Bills, Standing Committee of Privileges, and Committee on Private Members' Bills. No ministry-level standing committees, including for Disaster Management and Relief, were constituted. ↗↗
- 2026-02-17 appointment Asadul Habib Dulu sworn in as Minister of Disaster Management and Relief in the Tarique Rahman cabinet. Dulu (born 5 August 1960, Lalmonirhat; BNP Rangpur divisional organizing secretary; Lalmonirhat-3 MP) previously served as Deputy Minister for Food and Disaster Management under the 2001-2006 BNP government. ↗↗
- 2026-03-30 statement Minister Dulu, addressing National Disaster Preparedness Day 2026, stated that climate change is no longer a future threat but an unavoidable reality, with cyclones, floods, droughts, and river erosion now integral parts of Bangladeshi life. He stressed constant preparedness as the primary mitigation tool. ↗↗
- 2026-04-03 policy Minister Dulu announced that 23 multi-purpose flood shelters will be constructed in Lalmonirhat district. Separately, he disclosed that 320 flood shelters have already been built in 258 upazilas across 43 flood-prone districts, with 128 additional shelters planned under active procurement, plus 90 multipurpose cyclone shelters for coastal and cyclone-prone areas. ↗↗
- 2026-04-24 other Flash flood warning issued for Sunamganj as heavy rainfall forecast in haor region from 24 April onward. BWDB warned that rising water in major haor rivers could breach danger levels from 28 April. WFP disbursed cash to 20,000 households in Sylhet ahead of imminent flood risk, coordinating with the government's social protection system. ↗↗
- 2026-04-30 other BDRCS issued Situation Report 1 for Northeastern Haor Region Flash Flood. FFWC reported 1 river station under severe flood condition, 4 under flood status, and 4 under warning alert. Flash floods driven by heavy rainfall and upstream flows from Meghalaya inundated haor areas across Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Netrokona, and Kishoreganj districts. ↗↗
- 2026-04-30 other First session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad prorogued after 25 sittings (12 March to 30 April 2026). Five parliamentary standing committees and two special committees had been formed; no ministry-level standing committee chairpersons, including for Disaster Management and Relief, were announced. Parliament went into recess without constituting the committee. ↗↗
- 2026-05-03 policy Minister Dulu formally announced a three-month food assistance programme for haor farmers affected by flash floods and upstream inflows. Speaking at the inauguration of the Bidyanondo Self-Employment Project 2026 in Sunamganj, he confirmed government would provide Tk 7,500 per month for three months to approximately 100,000 affected households in Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Netrokona, and Kishoreganj haor areas. ↗↗↗
- 2026-05-04 policy Minister Dulu visited Sunamganj to inspect relief distribution. He stated the government will ensure proper relief reaches all affected haor farmers and directed local administration to compile accurate beneficiary lists before disbursement. ↗↗
- 2026-05-07 policy PM Tarique Rahman ordered rapid-response measures for haor farmers at an inter-ministerial meeting attended by Minister Dulu alongside Agriculture Minister Amin ur Rashid Yasin. PM ordered accurate beneficiary lists to be compiled and swift disbursement of the Tk 7,500/month relief for three months. ↗↗
- 2026-04-27 policy Parliament session: Minister Dulu informed the Jatiya Sangsad that the government will implement a long-term action plan to reduce deaths from lightning, which has been classified as a national disaster since 2016. He committed to expanding lightning-rod and shelter infrastructure in haor and northeastern regions in response to an urgent public importance notice raised by Sunamganj-1 MP Kamruzzaman Kamrul. ↗↗
Provenance & notes
The Standing Committee on Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief is constitutionally mandated (Article 76) and must be formed for each parliament under Jatiya Sangsad Rules of Procedure, Rules 190-230. As of 17 May 2026, it has NOT been constituted for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad: the first session (12 March to 30 April 2026, 25 sittings) formed only five procedural committees. Ministry-level standing committees remain pending for the second session. The parliament.gov.bd page at /Members-of-committees/150/ exists as a shell URL (carries 12th parliament data) but has no confirmed 13th-parliament membership. verification_status is therefore 'partial': constitutional and legal basis verified via Constitution Article 76 and Rules of Procedure; current_head, head_since, and committee membership are unconfirmed as the committee has not been constituted. The incumbent minister overseeing the portfolio is Asadul Habib Dulu (born 5 August 1960, Lalmonirhat; BNP Rangpur divisional organizing secretary; Lalmonirhat-3 MP; MA Economics, University of Rajshahi; previously Deputy Minister for Food and Disaster Management 2001-2006 under Khaleda Zia's BNP government). He was sworn in on 17 February 2026 as part of the Tarique Rahman cabinet. The three live policy issues within the committee's mandate window: (a) Northeastern haor flash-flood response (April-May 2026): upstream rainfall from Meghalaya triggered flash floods across Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Netrokona, and Kishoreganj haor districts; BDRCS Situation Report 1 (30 April 2026) recorded 1 river station under severe flood, 4 under flood, 4 under warning; government announced Tk 7,500/month for three months to approximately 100,000 affected households under PM Tarique Rahman's directive; disbursement conditioned on accurate local-administration beneficiary lists; Minister Dulu visited Sunamganj on 4 May for field inspection; (b) Cyclone and flood shelter infrastructure: 320 existing shelters (258 upazilas, 43 flood-prone districts); 128 additional flood shelters under procurement; 90 multipurpose cyclone shelters for coastal areas planned; 23 shelters specifically announced for Lalmonirhat; (c) Lightning mortality: Bangladesh declared lightning a national disaster in 2016; Minister Dulu committed to long-term action plan in the Jatiya Sangsad (27 April 2026) following a public importance notice by Sunamganj-1 MP Kamruzzaman Kamrul; plan covers haor-region lightning rods and community shelters. Note on Tk 7,500 figure: The Tk 7,500/month relief was announced by Agriculture Minister Amin ur Rashid Yasin on 4 May 2026 and confirmed by Minister Dulu as the Disaster Management Ministry's co-administered relief quantum at the inter-ministerial meeting on 7 May 2026. Both ministries jointly manage the haor relief response under PM directive. The figure is sourced from BSS, Dhaka Tribune, TBS, and BDNews24.
Sources
- https://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/Members-of-committees/150/standing-committee-on-ministry-of-disaster-management-relief
- https://www.parliament.gov.bd/list-of-committees
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_committees_of_Bangladesh
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asadul_Habib_Dulu
- https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/governance/news/who-gets-which-ministry-inside-bnps-cabinet-line-4108521
- https://www.bssnews.net/js-session/368140
- https://www.bssnews.net/js-session/368255
- https://www.bssnews.net/js-session/383114
- https://www.newagebd.net/post/politics/298439/first-session-of-13th-js-prorogued
- https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/parliament/409085/first-session-of-13th-parliament-prorogued
- https://www.bssnews.net/others/372968
- https://www.bssnews.net/news/367731
- https://www.bssnews.net/news/374200
- https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/parliament/407000/disaster-management-minister-128-flood-shelters
- https://en.bd-pratidin.com/city/2026/04/25/61396
- https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/wfp-disburses-cash-20000-households-ahead-flood-risk-sylhet-4166541
- https://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/bangladesh-red-crescent-society-situation-report-1-northeastern-haor-region-flash-flood-30-april-2026
- https://bdrcs.org/situation-report-1-northeastern-haor-flood-april-2026/
- https://www.bssnews.net/news-flash/383871
- https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/agriculture/409252/asadul-habib-dulu-govt-to-provide-three-months%E2%80%99
- https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/23e7aeb812e8
- https://www.bssnews.net/news/384429
- https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/409455/dulu-govt-to-ensure-proper-relief-distribution
- https://www.bssnews.net/news-flash/385110
- https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/409629/pm-orders-accurate-list-of-rain-hit-haor-farmers
- https://www.bssnews.net/js-session/382045
- https://en.bd-pratidin.com/national/2026/04/27/61587
- https://outlookbangla.com/2026/05/07/pm-orders-quick-steps-to-assist-haor-farmers-hit-by-heavy-rainfall/
- https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/govt-provide-three-months-food-assistance-flood-hit-haor-farmers-minister-1428356
- https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/home/govt-to-provide-three-months-food-assistance-to-flood-hit-haor-farmers-minister