UK and Bangladesh launch Hydromet Collaboration to boost flood resilience

DHAKA, Bangladesh – 27 October 2025 – The Governments of the United Kingdom and Bangladesh today officially launched the UK-Bangladesh Hydrological and Meteorological Collaboration, titled “Enhancing Resilience through Improved Climate and Hydrometeorological Services (EnRICH)” Project, to strengthen the country’s flood forecasting, early warning and climate services capacities.

The EnRICH Project, inaugurated at a joint national-level event held at Pani Bhavan in Dhaka, is part of UK’s broader Bangladesh Climate and Environment Programme (BCEP) that addresses climate change and environmental challenges. It aims to enhance the country’s ability to anticipate and respond to extreme weather and climate hazards through timely, reliable, and user-focused warnings and advisories that improve resilience of at-risk communities. 

Funded by the UK Government through the UK International Development, the project will be implemented by the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) in partnership with the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), with technical support from the UK Met Office (UKMO), with geographical focus on the flood-prone districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Cumilla, and Feni.

Mr. James Goldman, Development Director and Deputy High Commissioner from the British High Commission, Dhaka, lauded the strong and long-standing partnership between the UK and Bangladesh in advancing climate resilience and disaster preparedness. “We are committed to this partnership that we have with Bangladesh to strengthen climate resilience, protect natural ecosystems, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. And the work today is very much about partnership, it’s about sharing knowledge, it’s about sharing expertise and looking at how we can work together on these shared challenges,” remarked Mr. Goldman in his message.

Bangladesh, with its low-lying deltaic landscape, is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. Recurring risks from riverine and flash floods, cyclones, and extreme heat disrupt lives, livelihoods, and economic stability. The severe 2024 floods in the eastern region, which caused widespread damage to infrastructure and agriculture, underscored the urgent need for a more robust early warning and preparedness systems.

Md. Rafius Sazzad, Additional  Director General, Planning Design and Research, BWDB, emphasized that the UK-Bangladesh Hydromet Collaboration is a milestone initiative to enhance localized flood forecasting and early warning systems. Partnering with the UK Met Office and RIMES, the project aims to transfer advanced forecasting technology, build national capacity, and strengthen Bangladesh’s resilience against future floods.      

The EnRICH Project supports the Government of Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to operationalize Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) and strengthen resilience to climate-induced disasters, in alignment with national policies and the broader goals of sustainable development and disaster risk reduction. It also complements other UK-supported initiatives such as the Nature-Based Adaptation towards Prosperous and Adept Lives and Livelihoods in Bangladesh (NABAPALLAB) project, implemented by CARE Bangladesh and partners. 

“Today we secure our future with both better prediction and better protection,” said Hon. Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the MoEFCC and MoWR, during the launch of the UK-Bangladesh Hydro-met Collaboration and NABAPALLAB expansion. She emphasized that these ‘twin initiatives’ combine nature-based adaptation and advanced forecasting to strengthen Bangladesh’s climate resilience. She further expressed her gratitude to RIMES and UK Government for supporting Bangladesh through the EnRICH project.

The joint national event highlighted both projects’ contributions to building resilience—ecological and technological—across the country’s most climate-vulnerable regions. It brought together representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, development partners, academia, civil society, and the private sector. 

The EnRICH Project underscores RIMES’s commitment to empowering national institutions with science-based tools, data, and knowledge that translate into actionable early warning and climate services. By fostering collaboration, strengthening technical capacities, and promoting user-centered approaches, RIMES continues to advance its vision of a region where timely, reliable information enables governments and communities to anticipate, prepare for, and respond effectively to climate-related risks—building a safer and more resilient future for all.