UK–Bangladesh hydromet collaboration launched to boost flood preparedness

The governments of the United Kingdom and Bangladesh have officially launched the UK–Bangladesh Hydrological and Meteorological Collaboration, titled the Enhancing Resilience through Improved Climate and Hydrometeorological Services (EnRICH) Project, aimed at strengthening the country's flood forecasting and early warning capabilities.

The project was formally launched through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the British High Commission (BHC), Dhaka, and the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), at a national-level event held at Pani Bhaban in Dhaka.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, attended the ceremony as chief guest. 'Today we secure our future with both better prediction and better protection,' she said, emphasising that the initiative combines advanced forecasting and nature-based adaptation to enhance Bangladesh's climate resilience. She also thanked the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for its support.

Funded by the UK government through UK International Development, the EnRICH project will run from September 2025 to March 2026 under the Bangladesh Climate and Environment Programme (BCEP). It will be jointly implemented by BWDB and the BHC, Dhaka, with technical support from the UK Met Office (UKMO) through the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES). The project will focus on the flash flood-prone districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Cumilla, and Feni.

The launch event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, development partners, academia, civil society, and the private sector.

James Goldman, development director and deputy high commissioner at the British High Commission, Dhaka, said: 'We are committed to this partnership with Bangladesh to strengthen climate resilience, protect ecosystems, and share knowledge to address shared challenges.'

Md Rafius Sazzad, additional director general (Planning, Design and Research) of BWDB, described the initiative as a milestone in advancing localised flood forecasting and early warning systems, while Henry Thompson of the UK Met Office and Raihanul Haque Khan of RIMES highlighted the project's potential to build long-term national capacity and community resilience.

The EnRICH project aligns with the government of Bangladesh's efforts to operationalise impact-based forecasting and supports national climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction goals.