Since its designation as a district in 1984, Gaibandha has grappled with the absence of a local meteorological office, leaving millions at the mercy of severe winters, droughts, and floods. The deficiency in timely forecasts has heightened risks for the community, compelling journalists and residents to seek weather updates from distant sources. Reports reveal that Gaibandha, with its population in the lakhs, suffers from annual natural calamities. The absence of a regional meteorological office deprives locals of crucial disaster information, exacerbating the magnitude of damages incurred.In the absence of a local weather authority, journalists in Gaibandha contend with an information vacuum during natural disasters. Amidst harsh winters and parched spells, they resort to online searches for crucial updates. When online sources fail, they are compelled to reach out to the Rangpur Meteorological Office, a time-consuming process that hampers timely reporting.
Moreover, the lack of rainfall data in this flood-prone region leads to extensive inundation of lowland crops during monsoons, perpetuating agricultural losses.Residents of flood-affected areas in Phulchari Upazila bemoan the absence of a weather office, which delays flood warnings, resulting in severe annual damages. Timely predictions, they argue, could mitigate the flood's severity to some extent.Mostafizar Rahman, a scientific officer at the Rangpur Meteorological Office, acknowledges the predicament, citing the absence of meteorological offices in six northern districts, including Gaibandha. Despite repeated pleas to the authorities, the lack of a timely response exacerbates the region's vulnerability to natural disasters.
ZH
