PM opens mobile app for weather info
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has developed a mobile application ‘BMD Weather App’ to facilitate smartphone users to get its all daily information services and keep them update about weather.
The smartphone users can now download the mobile application from the Google Play Store as prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday formally inaugurated it at her office, reports news agency UNB.
Briefing reporters, PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters that this application shows the latest weather information from the automatic weather monitoring centers situated in various parts of the country.
“The latest information on air temperature, air pressure, direction, amount of rain can also be immediately known through using the application,” he said.
Besides, it can be known easily the cautionary signals regarding cyclones, earthquake, agriculture weather, hydrology, cold wave, and drought related information through the app.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department, under the Ministry of Defence, also launched the application in public interest aiming to provide timely and comparatively flawless weather forecast and cautionary signals and thus ensure safer river and air movement, alongside reducing the extent of losses of life and property by nor’wester, cyclone, tornado, excessive rain, flood and such natural disasters.
Besides, the overall weather related forecast and cautionary signaling system will be further strengthened in determining the route of storm (position, direction and severity), and ensuring safe river and air movement and thus play an important role in reducing the extent of losses of lives and property due to natural disasters.
The government has moved one step ahead towards materialising its pledge of building ‘Digital Bangladesh’ through launching the mobile apps service.
To download the application, there is a need to have internet connection in smart mobile phone sets and any user first need to go to the google play store, and then need to go to the search icon and type BMD Weather App. Then the user will have to install the app.
Through using the app, the smartphones will be connected directly with the automatic weather machineries installed in 42 places across the country.
Besides, the BMS has undertaken a plan to expand this weather information services to all the common people, including at farmers level in all upazila headquarters, in phases by 2021.
The smartphone users will also be able to get the latest weather information of the Meteorological Department through switching on their smartphone while they are in houses, offices, in vehicles, launches, steamers, and aircraft and in trains.
Besides, the doppler radars and weather satellite will also be available in the display screens of the smartphones at any time.
Principal Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Goals at the prime minister’s office Md Abul Kalam Azad, PM’s principal secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury and PMO Secretary Suraiya Begum were present on the occasion.
Defence ministry senior secretary Kazi Habibul Awal, Bangladesh Meteorological Department director Shamsuddin Ahmed also spoke at the function.