Bangladeshi officials will not attend the 150th-anniversary celebrations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), authorities have said, citing restrictions on non-essential foreign travel at government expense.

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Mominul Islam, the acting director of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), on Friday confirmed receiving the invitation from the IMD a month ago, saying: “The India Meteorological Department invited us to their 150th-anniversary celebrations. We maintain good relations and continue to collaborate with them.” “However, we are not going to the event as there is an obligation to limit non-essential foreign trips funded by the government,” Islam told bdnews 24.

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He emphasised the regular contact between the two agencies, noting his recent visit to India on December 20, 2024, for a separate meeting with Indian meteorologists.

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The IMD invited several neighbouring nations — including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives — and countries from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

A top IMD official told PTI: “We have asked all the countries that were part of India when IMD was launched (150 years ago) to join this festival.” “Pakistan has already agreed to join the event, but Bangladesh has not responded.” Founded in 1875 during British colonial rule, the IMD was established in response to devastating weather events, including the cyclone that ravaged Kolkata in 1864 and subsequent monsoon-related disasters in 1866 and 1871.

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Initially headquartered in Kolkata, the IMD relocated several times, moving to Shimla in 1905, Pune in 1928, and eventually Delhi in 1944. The department will officially mark its sesquicentennial on January 15, 2025.

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