The STEP Consortium, led by Action Against Hunger (ACF) in collaboration with the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), with support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), has launched a groundbreaking Cyclone-Specific Impact Forecasting Toolkit aimed at strengthening early action and disaster resilience in Bangladesh’s cyclone-prone coastal regions.
At a workshop held on Tuesday (June 3) at Hotel Six Seasons in Dhaka, RIMES officially introduced the Toolkit under the project "Strengthening Forecast-Based Early Actions in Cyclone-Prone Coastal Regions in Bangladesh (STEP)", being implemented in collaboration with consortium partners Cordaid, Plan International Bangladesh, and United Purpose.
The Toolkit represents a significant leap forward in disaster preparedness, shifting from traditional weather forecasts to Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF)—a people-centered, risk-informed system that translates complex meteorological data into actionable insights tailored to local vulnerabilities and exposure levels.
At a recent high-level event focused on Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF), experts from government, international organizations, and meteorological institutions emphasized the critical need to link forecasts with proactive early action to build resilience in vulnerable communities.
Raihanul Haque Khan, Country Program Lead at RIMES, highlighted the central theme:
"Forecasts alone are not enough. To build real resilience, we must connect early warning with early action."
He introduced the newly developed IBF Toolkit by RIMES, designed to help stakeholders anticipate cyclone impacts more accurately and act in a timely manner to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
Dr. Nurun Nahar, Additional Secretary, National Economic Council (NEC), Government of Bangladesh, emphasized the importance of transforming data into actionable knowledge for widespread dissemination and informed decision-making.
In his welcome address, Tapan Kumar Chakraborty, Deputy Country Director of Action Against Hunger, referenced research showing the economic efficiency of early action:
"Accurate and timely forecasts can save 16 taka in response costs for every 1 taka invested." He affirmed the robustness and utility of the RIMES-developed toolkit.
Dr. Anshul Agarwal, Lead of the South Asia Hydromet Forum Program at RIMES, underscored the importance of dynamic updates, data generation, and data sharing in maintaining an effective IBF system.
Md Momenul Islam, Director, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, identified five critical challenges to the system: coordination, formal agreements (MoUs), data sharing, manpower, and capacity building. He emphasized the need to address these to improve communication and dissemination of forecasts.
Anna Orlandini, Head of Office at ECHO Bangladesh, expressed optimism about the approach’s potential, adding that resource mobilization and strong government involvement are crucial for advancing the IBF.
Ahmadul Haque, Director of the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP) and National Focal Point for Early Warning for Action (EW4A), described the IBF transformation as "incomparable in necessity" and advocated for sector-specific anticipatory actions in areas such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock, and health.
Moderated by Mohammad Akmal Shareef, Country Director of ACF, the discussion explored the opportunities and challenges in operationalizing IBF across Bangladesh, particularly at the union and upazila levels.
The workshop concluded with an open discussion session, during which stakeholders shared insights from the field, and a vote of thanks was delivered by consortium representatives.
The STEP initiative aims to strengthen disaster risk management governance and enhance the anticipatory capacity of local institutions and communities in cyclone-prone areas of Bangladesh. It is funded by the European Union through ECHO and implemented by the STEP Consortium.