THE STUDY, BASED ON THE DATA COLLECTED FROM INTERVIEW TO 277 VILLAGERS IN 1993 FLOOD AFFECTED AREA IN RAIPURA TANA, BANGLADESH, REVEALS THAT MOST OF THE RESPONDENTS WERE AFFECTED SEVERELY BY DISASTERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT. BUT IT CANNOT BE SAID THAT THEIR PREPAREDNESS BEHAVIOR REFLECTS WELL THEIR EXPERIENCES. INSTEAD OF MAKING GOOD USE OF THEIR EXPERIENCES FOR TAKING PREPARATORY MEASURES TO FACE DISASTER, THE RESPONDENTS UTILIZE THEIR EXPERIENCE JUST TO TIDE SOMEHOW OVER A DIFFICULTY CAUSED BY DISASTER WITH FATALISTIC VIEW ON DISASTER. HOWEVER, SYSTEMATIC USE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE FOR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS COULD PROVE EXTREMELY VALUABLE TOWARDS DISASTER REDUCTION. IT IS, THEREFORE, NECESSARY TO ARRANGE SOME INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM WITH NEEDED POWERS AND FUNCTIONS TO FACILITATE PROPER AND SYSTEMATIC USE OF PEOPLE S EXPERIENCE.
