Photo: BSS

RANGPUR, May 11, 2025 (BSS) - 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.
 
He said this while briefing local journalists after the official handover ceremony of Rangpur radar station in a function held at BMD Rangpur office 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 has extended all necessary assistance in establishing the Doppler radar station in Rangpur at a cost of about Taka 130 crore with the funding of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
 
The inauguration of the Doppler radar station has opened a new horizon in weather monitoring in terms of accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts in Rangpur region.
 
The BMD Director said that the installation of this Doppler radar station will make weather forecasts more accurate and timely. It will be especially useful in analyzing rain, cyclones and other weather conditions.
 
The newly installed Doppler radar will play a positive role in the agricultural economy of the agriculture-dependent northern region.
 
With its inauguration, people in the area of 400 to 450 kilometers range in the northern region have entered a new horizon of knowing advanced weather information. This new radar will be able to provide information a few hours before natural disasters.
 
"This will allow for earlier preparation in weather conditions than ever before, which will reduce the amount of damage in disasters," he said, adding that three more such radar stations are going to be installed in Bangladesh.
 
At the time, Yoshihisa Uchida said "The installation of such a modern Radar station using the latest technology in Rangpur is a major breakthrough. It will bring more accuracy to weather forecasts not only at the local level but also at the national level."
 
Meteorologist Mostafizar Rahman said, "With the launch of this new radar station, we will be able to know the location, speed, direction, and temperature of clouds, due to which it will be possible to reduce the death rate by predicting lightning."
 
The Shimizu Corporation of Japan supervised the installation of the Doppler radar station with the equipment supplied by the contracting company Marubeni Corporation of Japan.
 
Although the installation work was supposed to start in 2016, the official installation of the radar finally began on March 31, 2023.