The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has come under scrutiny after its recent heavy rainfall warnings failed to match actual weather conditions. Despite forecasts of heavy to very heavy rain across seven divisions, including Dhaka, on Tuesday, most areas experienced little to no rainfall. The department later admitted that the earlier warning was a major mistake, as the highest recorded rainfall in the country was only 36 millimeters in Gopalganj and 7 millimeters in Dhaka.

Meteorologist Tariful Newaz Kabir attributed the forecasting errors to a shortage of observation stations and technical limitations. He explained that large gaps between stations, such as the 100-kilometer distance between Rangpur and Bogura, reduce data accuracy. Additionally, three of the department’s five weather radars remain nonfunctional, with only those in Dhaka and Rangpur recently repaired. The remaining radars await restoration by JICA.

In response, the BMD issued a revised warning within 48 hours, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in Barishal and Chattogram divisions, with potential landslides in hilly areas, particularly around Cox’s Bazar.