• Governing Board Members
• Directors of SMRC
• Professionals & Staffs of SMRC
• List of Publications
• Genesis of SMRC
• Objective
• Functions
• Structure of SMRC
• SMRC Organogram
• Organization and Programmes
• Funding of SMRC
• Achievements of the Centre
• Contact Information

Late President Shaheed Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh was the pioneer to propose South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 1980 and all the Seven Member States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) agreed to the proposal to bring the SAARC in reality. On the 8^th December 1985, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was born with the signing the Charter by the Heads of Government; in the history first SAARC summit meeting. The Heads of State or Government welcomed the entry of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan into SAARC at the Fourteenth Summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held in New Delhi, India on April 3-4, 2007. Now the number of member states has become eight. They considered the SAARC to be a tangible manifestation of their determination to cooperate regionally, to work together towards finding solutions towards their common problems in spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding and to the creation of an order based on mutual respect, equity and shared benefits. The Heads of States of Government reaffirmed that their fundamental goal was to accelerate the process to economic and social development of their respective countries through the optimum utilization of their human and material resources, so as to promote the welfare and prosperity of their people and to improve their quality of life. They were conscious that peace and security was an essential prerequisite for the realization of the objectives.

SAARC Member States are frequently affected by various phenomena of meteorological, hydrological, oceanographic, seismological origin natural disasters such as monsoon rain, tropical cyclones, storm surges, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, droughts, earthquake, El Nino, La Nina etc. almost every year. As a result a large number of people in the SAARC region are affected by these meteorological events, causing huge loss of lives and properties worth millions of dollars. These natural disasters cannot be controlled or stopped. But the loss of lives and damage to properties caused by natural disasters can be reduced considerably by issuing timely and accurate forecast of the impending disasters. So, weather forecast plays a vital role and there is no doubt that weather forecasts are of immense economic value and are useful in all aspects of economic activities of human being.

Besides these, SAARC Member countries are mainly agricultural countries. Agriculture and weather/ climatic conditions are closely related. Climate analysis assumes a great significance in nearly every phase of agricultural activity, from the selection of sites to the harvesting and from long term planning to daily operation. Farmers require the ideal time for sowing and planting to minimize the losses as well as maximize production. Each crop has optimum maximum and minimum temperature conditions. Plant growth ceases when the temperature drops below a certain minimum value or exceeds a certain maximum value. Between these limits, there is an optimum temperature favouring the most rapid growth.

The climate water balance provides an assessment of water surplus, water deficit and run-off. The analysis of climate balance is required for estimating water requirements of crops. Detail analysis of climatic data enables to:

a)Determine the maximum and minimum temperature condition for optimum production of crop.

b)Determine the most suitable time for sowing and planting etc. Accurate and timely forecast for proper timing for sowing, planting, harvesting, irrigation and applications of fertilizer and pesticides will greatly help to increase crop production, reduce losses and decrease costs. This needs to strengthen the agro-metrological forecast over the SAARC Member countries.

Meteorology knows no geographical and political boundaries. This subject demands global cooperation. Almost every weather event affects the SAARC Member countries every year. This disastrous weather causes colossal loss of lives and damages to properties over this region, which can be reduced by issuing accurate, dependent and timely weather forecast. We are therefore, dependent on each other for meteorological observation, prediction and warning. So, it was felt to establish a common platform to carry out research, mitigation of these disasters and to help this region to achieve and continue the sustainable socio-economic development of SAARC Member countries, meteorology was one of the proposition to be agreed upon by the Member States.

The SAARC Group of Experts Meeting on the establishment of the SMRC was held during 25-26 November 1992 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Group had before them the revised version of the proposal, which was earlier submitted by Bangladesh to the Technical Committee on Meteorology (TCM) meeting held in April 1992 at Karachi. The Group discussed the revised proposal in detail and considering the cost involved towards the establishment of the Centre in the original form and considering the financial constraints of the member countries and the existing facilities in the region, the Group recommends that SMRC, as offered by Bangladesh, be established in Dhaka and should concentrate more on the research aspects of weather forecasting rather than on the operational aspects of the medium and long-range forecasting. While doing so, the existing scientific and technical facilities in the region should be availed of through networking arrangements with the Centre.

As a follow up action, the "SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC)" come into being existence in Dhaka, Bangladesh to reflect the common aspiration of the Member States for collective research in Meteorology and to improve the weather prediction techniques of this region. Honourable Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh inaugurated the SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC) on 02 January 1995. Initially SMRC was hosted in the Abhawa Bhaban of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) from 1995 to 2005. The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh allotted 1.22 acres of land at Sher-E-Bangla Nagar and constructed SMRC building. SMRC started functioning in its own building since August 2005.

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Objectives:
The objectives of SMRC are to :

Establish regional information network on Meteorology, Hydrology, Oceanography, Seismology and Atmospheric Science among SAARC Member countries.

Under take collective research in Meteorology over the SAARC region.

Improve the weather prediction techniques to reduce loss of lives and damages of properties caused by natural disasters over the SAARC region.

Establish modern and advanced observing system with reliable and timely communication network.

Predict / Project severe weather events and climate change and its variability over the SAARC Member countries.

Collect past Meteorological, Hydrological, Climatological, Seismological, Oceanographic etc. data for regional research.

Organize special observation to under take research work.

Establish a networking system between the Centre and the Member Countries in order to get data to undertake research activities.

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FUNCTIONS OF THE CENTRE :
The Centre is responsible for:

i)Undertaking research relevant to weather predication and better understanding of various aspects of monsoon and other weather phenomena of particular interests to the region;

ii)Compiling climatological information for the region required for weather forecasting and agricultural activities.

iii)Organizing special observation or observing periods for monitoring special weather phenomena of interest to the region for collecting data and undertaking research;

iv)Developing a networking system between the Centre and the member countries in order to get data to undertake its activities and to provide the processed information to the members.

Structure of THE CENTRE:
The Centre has been started with the following divisions:

i.Theoretical Division: This division consist, of experienced 1 (One) Head of the Division and 2 (Two) Scientists with background in tropical meteorology, numerical weather predication techniques especially for use in the tropics, 4 (Four) Research Assistant and I (One) Messenger. It will be responsible to undertake research relevant to weather prediction and better understanding of various aspects of monsoon and other weather phenomena of particular interest in the region. The total strength of the division will be 8 persons comprising scientist and support staff.

ii.SYNOPTIC DIVISION: This division is consist of 1 (One) Head of the Division and 2 (Two) Scientists with experience in analysis and forecasting of weather in the region, 4 (Four) Research Assistant and I (One) Messenger. This division will prepare appropriate synoptic climatology of the region and build synoptic models for systems associated with large-scale monsoon activity. The group may also carry out large-scale diagnostic studies and plan special observation programme for studios on the monsoon and interpret numerical products in the terms of weather and other atmospheric phenomena. The division will also compile climatological information for the region. The division will organize special observation or observing periods for monitoring special weather phenomena of interests to the region. The total strength of this division will be 8 persons comprising of scientists and supporting staff.

iii. Documentation Division
This division is consisting of 1 (One) Documentation Officer, 2 (Two) Research Assistant and I (One) Documentation Assistant and 1 (One) Messenger.

IV.ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE DIVISION:
This Division consists of all administration, finance and management staff for the efficient operation of the Centre. The divisions have 1 (One) Administrative Officer, 2 (Two) Admin. Asstts., 2 (Two) Account Asstts., 2 (Two) Stenographer, 2 (Two) Steno Typists, 1 (One) Store Keeper, 2 (Two) Drivers and 2 (Two) Messengers. Though various groups are responsible for research and development in their respective fields, they will work in close collaboration with each other. This will be desirable for integration of various research efforts for optimal utilization of the expertise and knowledge developed by the Centre.

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STRUCTURE OF SMRC

Governing Board

Director

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Funding of SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC)

The budget of SMRC has three components:

a) Capital Cost Budget : 100% borne by the host country.
b) Institutional Cost : This cost is borne by the SAARC Member countries in the following ratio:

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