Bangladesh Meteorological Department BMD Data Portal

History and Founding

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) traces its origins to 1867, when meteorological observation in the region began with an observatory in Satkhira. The service was renamed Pakistan Meteorological Services in 1947 and became the Bangladesh Meteorological Department following the country's independence in 1971. BMD operates under the Ministry of Defence of the Government of Bangladesh and serves as the sole national meteorological authority.

Data Portal

The BMD Data Portal (dataportal.bmd.gov.bd) provides online access to meteorological, climatological, and seismological data collected by BMD's network of surface and upper-air observatories, radar stations, agrometeorological observatories, and satellite receiving stations. It serves government agencies, researchers, agricultural planners, disaster management agencies, and the public.

Collections and Holdings

BMD archives all weather and climate data and maintains historical records of meteorological and seismological extreme events in numeric and graphical form, spanning more than a century of observation. Data types include rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, cyclone tracks, seismological events, and satellite imagery. BMD participates in World Meteorological Organization (WMO) global monitoring programmes and supports regional cooperation through SMRC and BIMSTEC frameworks.

Access and Usage

The data portal provides public access to meteorological datasets. Specific historical data can be requested for research and planning purposes. BMD also supplies data to agricultural planners, airline operators, flood forecasting centres, and international agencies.