Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bangladesh Meteorological Department and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society for increasing mutual cooperation for implementing Forecast-based Financing/Action (FbF/A) in Bangladesh

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) under the Ministry of Defense of the Government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) auxiliary to the government on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at the Conference Room of BMD.

Mr. Feroz Salah Uddin, Secretary General of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society signed on behalf of the BDRCS and Mr. Shamsuddin Ahmed, Director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department signed on behalf of the BMD in the presence of Dr. Md. Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal, NDC, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Defense of the GOB. Head of Delegation (AI) of IFRC, Country Representatives from AmCross, GRC (Virtual), FbF Team, Technical Advisor of RCCC were also present.

This MoU will increase mutual cooperation between BDRCS and BMD in implementing Forecast-based Financing/Action (FbF/A) programme for taking necessary early actions before landfall of Cyclone in Bangladesh with the exchange of knowledge and forecast in time. As an auxiliary to the government, BDRCS is the largest humanitarian organization in Bangladesh and is implementing Forecast-based Financing (FbF) project in Cyclone and Flood prone districts and early actions based on the credible forecast before the extreme events. Based on the forecast from BMD for Cyclone, BDRCS evacuates most vulnerable groups of people and provides dry food support, safe drinking water, oral saline, quick first aid support etc. to the injured in the high-risk areas. To implement early action before the landfall of Cyclone uninterruptible forecast and data is necessary which is being provided by the BMD with skill. This MoU will help in achieving sustainable development goal of the government by improving the socio-economic condition of the country at the local level reducing the humanitarian loss/injuries impending by a natural disaster like Cyclone and will increase in mutual cooperation through the exchange of knowledge, forecast and data services.