Courtesy Photo | Stan Wharry, former chief of the district’s Asia Programs Office, converses with...... read more read more
The South Asian country of Bangladesh experiences severe cyclones and flooding, posing significant threats to human health and infrastructure. In the wake of Cyclone Sidr, which caused widespread damage to the nation’s southwestern coast in 2007, officials recognized the pressing need for high-quality buildings that could withstand the turmoil of these storms. The problem was clear, and a solution was needed.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Alaska District recently completed a robust construction effort aimed at reducing these frequent threats. Multipurpose Disaster Shelters, or MPDSs, are tailor-made for the volatile conditions of cyclone season. During periods of normal weather, these structures serve functions such as schools and clinics. When the annual storms bring severe flooding, the shelters are built to stand above the flooding and provide secure, elevated spaces for the community.
On Oct. 23, 2024, federal partners and local Bangladesh authorities celebrated the handover of the Khonjonighona Government Primary School and Multipurpose Disaster Shelter. The newly constructed school holds its classrooms on the second and third floors to rise above the seasonal flooding that frequently impacts the region.
“Weather events in this part of the world can be incredibly destructive,” said Tom Gill, project manager in the district’s Asia Programs Office. “That added challenge emphasizes the need for high quality and careful considerations in building these structures.”
Over the course of the last 14 years, the district constructed a total of 25 MPDS shelters and 90 Multi-Purpose Cyclone Shelters while renovating an additional 115 existing structures throughout eastern Bangladesh. Most of these buildings include four classrooms, male and female bathrooms, a nursing mother’s room and a first aid room.
“The multipurpose nature of these buildings is evident in their design,” Gill said. “With an elevated ground floor and spacious rooms, they are made to withstand the toughest conditions.”
The district worked with a local contractor to execute each building in the program, which proved to be an important consideration. Constraints such as remoteness and limited surrounding infrastructure presented an extra challenge in creating an effective building on time and within budget. In some cases, the shelters were constructed with very little modern equipment such as trucks or cranes. Bangladesh-based contractors had the ability to navigate this landscape and execute a quality product.
“Building to USACE standards in Bangladesh comes with some unique challenges,” he said. “It is a very different experience than building in the United States.”
The 14-year-program would not have been possible without the contributions of leaders such as Stan Wharry, who was a pivotal member of the district’s Asia Programs Office at its inception in 2009. During his time at the district, Wharry helped to guide the Bangladesh shelter program until 2015.
“This program required an immense amount of coordination and hard work,” Wharry said. “Construction in Bangladesh comes with a large number of logistical challenges that can create roadblocks to the end goal.”
Diverging environmental considerations between the United States and Bangladesh were part of the obstacles that challenged the district’s team in the early years of the program. In the United States, laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act require federal agencies to thoroughly evaluate the potential environmental effects of different types of projects.
In contrast, Bangladesh has far less stringent laws regarding compliance in construction. Despite this disparity in regulation, the Asia Programs Office followed through with environmental mitigation plans for each shelter. A challenging process in the United States, these assessments proved to be even more demanding in Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh doesn’t have the robust network of laboratories and research infrastructure that we are accustomed to in the United States,” Wharry said. “The USACE team had to work with a local quality assurance contractor that had environmental work experience in Bangladesh.”
The shelter construction program in Bangladesh is a critical overall investment for the local population that will carry lasting benefits. In a region that experiences frequent and severe storms, high-quality disaster shelters are a key asset to the nation’s communities.
“We are proud of the Alaska District for their dedication in executing the 14-year disaster shelter program in support of the State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka and USINDOPACOM,” said Evan Ting, chief of the Program Support Division at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Pacific Ocean Division. “This program is a testament to the long-term commitment of the United States to improving the lives of the Bangladeshi people while promoting USINDOPACOM’s priorities of strengthening alliances and partnership, enhancing resilience of partner nations and promoting regional stability, prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.17.2025 13:21 |
| Story ID: | 495537 |
| Location: | COX'S BAZAR, BD |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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