Rangpur: The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) inaugurated the newly installed modern Doppler radar station at its Radar and Earthquake Observatory in Rangpur office today. "With the installation of this Doppler radar, it is now possible to provide more accurate information on weather, lightning, rainfall, and winter fog density in advance," said BMD Director Md Momenul Islam during a briefing with local journalists after the official handover ceremony.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the function held at the BMD Rangpur office saw Md Momenul Islam presiding as the chief guest. Chief Technology Officer of International Meteorological Consultant Inc, Japan, Yoshihisa Uchida PhD, and Project Director of the Improvement of the Meteorological Radar System in Dhaka and Rangpur project, Ahmed Arif Rashid, were present as special guests. Officer-in-Charge of Rangpur Meteorological office meteorologist Md Mostafizar Rahman presided over the function.
The Japanese government provided necessary assistance for establishing the Doppler radar station in Rangpur, with funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) amounting to approximately Taka 130 crore. This inauguration marks a significant advancement in weather monitoring by enhancing the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts in the Rangpur region.
The new Doppler radar station is expected to improve the precision and promptness of weather forecasts, which are vital for analyzing rain, cyclones, and other weather conditions. The radar station is set to positively impact the agricultural economy of the agriculture-dependent northern region.
Residents within a 400 to 450 kilometers range in the northern region now have access to advanced weather information, enabling them to prepare for natural disasters hours in advance. This early warning capability is anticipated to mitigate the damage caused by such events. Additionally, three more radar stations are planned for installation across Bangladesh.
Yoshihisa Uchida emphasized the significance of the modern radar station, stating it represents a major breakthrough in weather forecasting accuracy at both local and national levels. Meteorologist Mostafizar Rahman added that the radar station will enhance the ability to predict lightning by monitoring the location, speed, direction, and temperature of clouds, potentially reducing the death rate associated with such events.
The installation of the Doppler radar station was supervised by the Shimizu Corporation of Japan, with equipment supplied by the contracting company Marubeni Corporation of Japan. Although the installation work was initially scheduled to start in 2016, the official installation of the radar began on March 31, 2023.