Bangladesh Strengthens Heatwave Preparedness through Impact-Based Forecasting and Sectoral Advisory Development
Bangladesh, May 2026 — The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) conducted and supported a series of activities on Heatwave Impact-Based Forecasting and Sectoral Advisory Development in May 2026 to strengthen preparedness, coordination, and anticipatory action against increasing heatwave risks in Bangladesh.
These activities form a key part of the country’s national demonstration of IBF on heat-related hazards as part of the WISER-supported SAHF IBF Project which aims to translate temperature forecasts into sector-specific, action-oriented advisories to strengthen preparedness and early action during the heat season.
The activities included district-level consultations in Lalmonirhat and Rajshahi, followed by a two-day Technical Training and Stakeholder Workshop on Heatwave Impact-Based Forecasting and Sectoral Advisory Development in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Together, these activities brought together technical agencies, sectoral departments, local stakeholders, and partner organizations to improve the use of forecast information for early action and sector-specific preparedness.
Strengthening district-level preparedness in Lalmonirhat and Rajshahi
The local consultations on the Impact-Based Forecasting of Heatwave were held on 10 May 2026 in Lalmonirhat and on 13 May 2026 in Rajshahi. The consultations brought together representatives from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), disaster management authorities, and development partners.
The consultations focused on translating weather forecasts into actionable preparedness measures through IBF. Technical sessions covered heatwave climatology, forecasting systems, localized trigger and threshold development, agriculture and livestock impacts, anticipatory action planning, and digital advisory dissemination systems.
In Lalmonirhat, discussions highlighted the role of IBF in converting forecast information into practical advisories for vulnerable communities. Sessions also covered Bangladesh’s heatwave climatology, forecasting systems, operational heatwave monitoring approaches, livestock heat stress, veterinary preparedness, emergency response measures, crop planning, irrigation management, agro-meteorological advisory dissemination through BAMIS, and localized trigger and threshold development using historical temperature percentile analysis.
In Rajshahi, discussions centered on preparedness in one of Bangladesh’s heat-prone regions. Sessions covered localized heatwave risk assessment, district-specific thresholds, livestock preparedness, agriculture advisories, and public health risks. Health sector representatives, including civil surgeons and doctors from DGHS, highlighted risks such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, particularly among outdoor workers, elderly people, children, and low-income communities. They emphasized public awareness, hydration, reduced outdoor exposure during peak heat hours, access to safe drinking water, and monitoring of vulnerable family members. They also recommended a common alert dissemination platform for DGHS and related health institutions.
Building technical capacity on heatwave monitoring and forecasting
The two-day Technical Training and Stakeholder Workshop on Heatwave IBF and Sectoral Advisory Development was conducted on 17–18 May 2026, organized by BMD, with technical assistance from the RIMES. The training focused on strengthening BMD’s capacity in heatwave monitoring, characterization, station and gridded temperature data analysis, and percentile-based threshold calculations. On the other hand, the discussions emphasized the need to update and localize heatwave thresholds because impacts vary across regions.
The first day focused on strengthening the technical capacity of BMD officials experienced in climate services, forecast production, and impact-based forecasting. Sessions covered heatwave monitoring and characterization, station and gridded temperature data analysis, and percentile-based threshold calculations. Discussions emphasized that heatwave thresholds need to be updated and region-specific, as heatwave impacts differ across locations.
The training also included a practical demonstration of the INSTANT-SA portal, showing how forecast outputs can be visualized and used for sectoral decision-making. Sessions highlighted the use of scientifically robust thresholds and indices such as Heat Index, Universal Thermal Climate Index, and Excess Heat Factor to improve the accuracy and operational relevance of BMD’s forecasts.
The second day brought together 42 participants, including BMD experts and stakeholders from DGHS, DAE, DLS, DDM, and other partner organizations. Discussions focused on Bangladesh’s increasing heatwave risks, the need for research-informed thresholds, and the development of actionable advisories for health, agriculture, livestock, disaster management, and other sectors.
Through sectoral discussions and interactive group exercises, participants examined exposure, vulnerability, and information needs. They identified vulnerable groups, including elderly people, children under five, people with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, outdoor workers, coastal residents, small-scale livestock and poultry farmers, school children, and people facing poverty, poor sanitation, or other health and socio-economic challenges. They also assessed exposure factors such as high physical exertion, population density, crop and livestock exposure, urban heat islands, poorly insulated housing, shaded public transport stops, and temporary housing.
Sectoral speakers from fisheries, health, agriculture, and livestock shared experiences and recommendations. Key priorities included strengthening small-scale aquaculture coping capacity, expediting training manuals for medical personnel, improving upazila-wise forecasts and dissemination, establishing early warning system portals for farmers, conducting national-level workshops, and creating a joint platform for automatic alerts.
Across the activities, participants identified major challenges, including the variation of heatwave impacts across regions and sectors, the complexity of thresholds and advisories, coordination gaps, limited integration of exposure and vulnerability data, and the lack of joint platforms for automatic alerts and streamlined early action.
The way forward includes strengthening BMD’s technical capacity, updating region-specific heatwave thresholds, developing sector-specific advisories that integrate hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data, improving early warning dissemination, expanding stakeholder engagement across key sectors, and creating a joint alert platform to support coordinated and timely response.
The activities underscored the importance of linking technical forecasting with sectoral knowledge, localized preparedness, and coordinated dissemination to help ensure that forecast information supports early action and protects vulnerable populations from extreme heat impacts.
Sectoral recommendations and emerging priorities
Sectoral speakers from fisheries, health, agriculture, and livestock shared experiences, challenges, and recommendations. The discussions highlighted several common priorities, including strengthening coping capacity and stakeholder engagement in small-scale aquaculture, expediting training manuals for medical personnel, improving upazila-wise forecasts and effective dissemination, establishing early warning system portals for farmers, and conducting national-level workshops. Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of a joint platform for automatic alerts to enable more effective early action.
Across the activities, key challenges included the variation of heatwave impacts across regions and sectors, the complexity of thresholds and advisories, the vulnerability of elderly people, children, outdoor workers, small-scale farmers, and people with health or socio-economic challenges, coordination gaps between sectors, limited integration of exposure and vulnerability data, the need for region-specific percentile-based thresholds, and the lack of joint platforms for automatic alerts and streamlined early action mechanisms.
The identified way forward includes strengthening technical capacity for BMD staff on heatwave monitoring, forecasting, and impact-based forecasting; updating and calibrating heatwave thresholds regionally; developing actionable sector-specific advisories that integrate hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data; improving dissemination of early warnings and sectoral guidance, including upazila-wise forecasts; increasing stakeholder engagement in fisheries, health, agriculture, and livestock; establishing national-level workshops and early warning system portals; and creating a joint platform for automatic alerts.
Toward coordinated heatwave early warning and early action
The activities demonstrated the importance of linking technical forecasting with sectoral knowledge, local preparedness, and coordinated dissemination. The district consultations strengthened local understanding of heatwave risks and advisory interpretation, while the national training and stakeholder workshop provided a platform to connect forecasts with exposure, vulnerability, and sector-specific response measures.
Overall, the proceedings highlighted the need for continuous stakeholder engagement, localized forecasting systems, improved institutional coordination, stronger advisory dissemination mechanisms, and community-focused preparedness measures to ensure that forecast information effectively supports early action and helps protect vulnerable populations from extreme heat impacts.
