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: 바카라The India Meteorological Department invited us to their 150th anniversary celebrations. We maintain good relations and continue to collaborate with them.바카라
바카라However, we are not going to the event as there is an obligation to limit non-essential foreign trips funded by the government,바카라 Islam told bdnews 24.
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 바카라 including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives 바카라 and countries from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
A top IMD official told PTI: 바카라We have asked all the countries that were part of India when IMD was launched (150 years ago) to join this festival.바카라
바카라Pakistan has already agreed to join the event, but Bangladesh has not responded.바카라
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.
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.
