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Bridging Science with Communities: Developing Community-Based Lightning Early Warning System (CB-LiEWS) in Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) and Plan International Bangladesh hosted a national sharing ceremony on 21 December 2025, focusing on presenting the critical study findings of the Community-Based Lightning Early Warning System (CB-LiEWS) project. The CB-LiEWS initiative aims to bridge scientific forecasting with community-level preparedness to reduce lightning-related loss of life. The program was held from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM at the Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel.
The ceremony was graced by Mr. Md. Ashraf Uddin, Secretary, Ministry of Defence (MoD), as the Chief Guest. In his address, he emphasized the importance of people-centered early warning systems, stating that the study provides critical evidence to translate scientific forecasts into practical actions that save lives. The event was honored by the presence of Special Guest H.E. Mr. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, and Special Guest Mr. Mokit Billah, Representative of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).
The panel discussion was conducted by Mr. Netai Chandra Dey Sarkar, Director (MIM), Department of Disaster Management (DDM).
Dr. Fatima Akter, Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Dhaka joined the program as a key panelist and lead of the study. During the multi-stakeholder discussion, Dr. Akter emphasized the synergy between technology and grassroots education noting, “We must focus on public awareness along with technological advancement to increase forecast lead time effectively.” Students from the Department of Meteorology, University of Dhaka also joined the program and actively participated in the discussion session.
The technical presentation of the study findings was delivered by Kazi Shahidur Rahman, Disaster Risk Management Expert, NORCAP. The event featured an interactive discussion session with representatives from the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), the Royal Norwegian Embassy, ECHO, and various INGOs and academic institutions. A strong community perspective was shared by Ms. Diti Sutradar, a Community Volunteer Youth from Sunamganj, who shared root-level identified areas where CB-LiEWS can support communities through actionable early warnings.
The program was chaired by Mr. Md. Momenul Islam, Director of BMD, and concluded with a call for multi-sector collaboration to ensure that scientific insights are translated into timely, life-saving actions on the ground.