Japan to give $23m aid to set up two met radars

Japan will provide US$23 million (Tk 1.86 billion) assistance for setting up two next-generation meteorological radars in Gazipur and Rangpur to improve the country's weather forecasting system.
The Japan government signed an exchange of note in this regard with the Bangladesh government in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Economic Relations Division (ERD) Senior Secretary Mohammad Mejbahuddin, Charge d' Affaires of Japan Embassy in Bangladesh Takeshi Matsunaga and Chief Representative of JICA in Bangladesh Mikio Hataeda signed the deal.
In line with the deal, the Metrological Department will set up the new radar systems in Rangpur and Joydebpur, Gazipur under a project. The new radar site in Joydebpur will replace the existing site in Dhaka.   The new systems in Rangpur and Joydebpur will be equipped with S-band Doppler radars like those in Cox's Bazar, Khepupara and Moulvibazar.
Officials said Doppler radars can collect 3-dimensional (3D) meteorological data on atmospheric moisture, intensity of rain and wind velocity distribution much faster as well as in more accurate manner than the previous radars.
Since 1988, Japan has been contributing to improving the weather forecast service in Bangladesh through establishment of meteorological radars, improvement of weather analysis and forecasting system, and capacity building.
All five meteorological radars in Bangladesh were established through Japanese grant, and those in Rangpur and Dhaka were completed in 1999 and 2000 respectively.
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