Bangladesh to skip India Meteorological Department’s 150-year celebration
South Asia | 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.
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.
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.
Also read | India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to attend Donald Trump's swearing-in ceremony
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.
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.
)
Did Ilhan Omar marry her brother to get US citizenship? Here's the truth behind Trump's bold claim
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Iron Beam future upgrade: What a 300-kW version could do
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
100kW vs 10kW: Why Israel built two laser weapon systems with near-zero interception cost
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Iron Beam vs drones: What happens when laser meets swarm attacks?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 Indian batters with most ODI runs in 2025, check who tops the list
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 batters with most runs in 2025, check who tops the list
)
3I/ATLAS update: Interstellar comet emitting X-rays covering an area of 400,000 km
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Year in search 2025: Top 10 most searched global celebrities we lost this year- Hulk Hogan, Dharmendra, Michelle Trachtenberg and more
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet top 5 batters with most ODI runs in 2025, check who tops the list
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Top 5 bowlers in latest ICC T20I bowling rankings 2025, one Indian on list
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.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.