The inauguration ceremony of an international research project titled “The Project for the Development of a Flood Early Warning System for Haors” funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) was held today 17 August 2026 at Vice-Chancellor’s meeting room of the university. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam inaugurated this research project as chief guest. A four- member research team from Japan led by Prof. Dr. Toru Terao of Kagawa University was present on this occasion. Other members of the team were Prof. Dr. Taiichi Hayashi of Kyoto University, Prof. Dr. Kiguchi Masashi of the University of Tokyo and Project Assistant Prof. Dr. Md. Rezuanul Islam Fahim of the University of Tokyo.

The project is jointly led by Dr. Fatima Akter of Dhaka University, as Principal Investigator from Bangladesh, and Prof. Dr. Toru Terao of Kagawa University, as Principal Investigator from Japan. Their joint leadership reflects the strong academic partnership between Bangladesh and Japan and a shared commitment to developing practical and sustainable solutions to Bangladesh’s flood-related challenges.

The project will also provide an important platform for young researchers and students to engage in advanced research and collaborate with experts from Bangladesh and Japan. Through this international collaboration, the project is expected to strengthen long-term research capacity and create opportunities for knowledge and technology exchange.

The project was proposed from the academic community with a strong commitment to addressing national priorities through scientific research. Although it is research-driven, its expected impact extends well beyond academia. The primary objective is to generate scientific knowledge and translate it into practical and operational tools to strengthen Bangladesh’s flood early warning system and reduce the impacts of floods on communities, agriculture, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

In particular, the project will focus on improving flood forecasting and early warning for the haor regions of Bangladesh, where flash floods can develop rapidly and cause significant damage. Through advanced research, technology development, capacity building, and international collaboration, the project aims to contribute to a more reliable, effective, and sustainable flood early warning system at the national level.
The project brings together a strong multidisciplinary and multi-institutional partnership. From Bangladesh, the participating institutions include the University of Dhaka, BUET, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), SPARRSO, the Survey of Bangladesh (SoB), and the Institute of Water Modeling (IWM). The Japanese partnership includes Kagawa University, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Kochi University.

17/08/2026
(Md. Rafiqul Islam)
Director 
Public Relations Office
University of Dhaka