Regional Climate Application Forum (RCAF) 2025 Winter Session Strengthens Climate Preparedness in Bangladesh

Khulna, Bangladesh | 03 December 2025 – In a significant step towards strengthening national resilience, the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (RIMES) convened the 2025 Winter Session of the Regional Climate Application Forum (RCAF).

Organized through the UK-Bangladesh Hydromet Partnership and the RIMES-BBC Media Action BRIDGES Initiative, the session brought together 77 participants, including forecasters, technical agencies, and sectoral users to enhance seasonal climate preparedness and strengthen multi-sector collaboration in southwestern Bangladesh. These partnerships collectively support improved climate information generation, communication and application across the country.

The forum served as a critical platform for dialogue between data providers and end-users. Syeda Sabrina Sultana, Senior Meteorological Officer at RIMES, opened the session by emphasizing the RCAF’s role as a national vehicle for generating user-driven, multi-timescale climate information. She urged participants to reflect on past seasons to refine how climate services support anticipatory action.

The event highlighted strong national commitment, with attendance from major government bodies including the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Department of Fisheries (DoF), and the Islamic Foundation, alongside NGOs and community groups.

Innovations in Forecasting and Application

BMD Deputy Director S. M. Qamrul Hassan explaining forecasting concepts and presenting the seasonal outlook.

A key focus of the session was the practical application of climate data. S. M. Qamrul Hassan, BMD Deputy Director, presented the Seasonal and Sub-Seasonal Climate Outlook for the Winter Monsoon. “Improving user understanding of forecasts is essential because informed decisions directly contribute to resilience,” says Hassan as he presented the climate outlook and clarified common forecasting concepts to improve user interpretation.

Participants engage in group review sessions to strengthen the accessibility and effectiveness of BMD’s Daily Weather Forecast Bulletin, ensuring climate information supports informed action at all levels.

Significant attention was also given to the "last mile" of communication. Asif Udin Bin Noor and Raisa Binthe Ahmed of RIMES facilitated an interactive review of the proposed Daily Weather Forecast Bulletin, currently being developed under the BRIDGES Project. Stakeholders evaluated the clarity, accessibility and structure of the bulletin and offered suggestions to enhance its use among different stakeholder groups. The exercise highlighted the importance of making climate and weather information practical and easy to interpret for end users.

Sectoral Applications of Climate Information

The forum showcased data-driven success stories demonstrating the tangible benefits of climate services:

• Agriculture: Muhammad Tanjilur Rahman, Senior Project Officer at RIMES, shared results from the Forecast Application for Risk and Resource Management (FARRM) School. The initiative reported a 91.8% improvement in farmer decision-making and a 98.3% increase in the ability to interpret and act on weather forecasts. 

“When farmers can interpret climate information, they plan better and reduce losses. The results show the real value of climate services,” Rahman observed.

Muhammad Tanjilur Rahman, RIMES Senior Project Officer (Meteorology), presents the outcomes of the Farmer’s FARRM School.

• Livestock: Dr. A. K. M. Rakibul Hasan introduced the National Livestock Advisory System (NLAS), explaining that “NLAS enables DLS to move from reactive responses to proactive planning based on real-time climate information.”

Dr. Hasan demonstrated how the system integrates weather and climate data into livestock management to support decision making on fodder planning, disease control and livestock protection.

Dr. A. K. M. Rakibul Hasan, Department of Livestock Services, demonstrating how the National Livestock Advisory System supports proactive planning.

Reflections from Local Government

Mr. Bitan Kumar Mandal, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), delivering his special remarks on climate resilience.

Special guest speakers from the district administration and agricultural extension services offered insights on the urgency of climate adaptation. Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Bitan Kumar Mandal, emphasised the need for immediate and sustainable adaptation practices in response to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. 

“Forecasts guide us, but resilience is built through what we do next. We must adopt climate-smart solutions today to safeguard our communities,” he expressed.

In his closing remarks, S. M. Qamrul Hassan highlighted the value of continued collaboration among technical agencies, forecasters and sectoral users. He noted that forums such as RCAF play an essential role in strengthening the connection between climate science, communication and practical decision making. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining regular dialogue to ensure that climate information continues to support preparedness, response and long term resilience planning across Bangladesh.

Looking Ahead

The outcomes of the session are expected to enhance coordination among BMD, DLS, RIMES and sectoral users, strengthen climate informed planning for the winter season and improve stakeholder understanding of weather and climate information services. RCAF continues to function as a key national platform supporting both preparedness and long term resilience for communities across Bangladesh.

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About the Projects:

• The UK-Bangladesh Hydro-Met Collaboration, “Enhancing Resilience through Improved Climate and Hydrometeorological Services (EnRICH)”, funded with UK International Development from the UK government, aims to strengthen Bangladesh’s flood forecasting and early warning capacities by improving data integration, decision-support tools, and institutional capacities.
• The RIMES-BBC Media Action, “BRIDGES: Building climate resilience through strengthened communication across the WCIS system”, aims to improve Weather and Climate Information Services (WCIS) to ensure people take positive actions to adapt to climate change and build resilience to climate-related natural hazards.

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) is an international organization dedicated to enhancing early warning capabilities and disaster resilience across Asia and Africa. For more information, visit RIMES.