How are emergency alerts sent in Bangladesh?

Short answer. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department issues cyclone warnings as numbered signals: 11 for sea ports and 4 for river ports ¹². In the coastal districts, 77,360 Cyclone Preparedness Programme volunteers relay them with flags, megaphones and, at great danger signals, hand sirens ³⁴. Anyone can dial 1090 free for recorded warnings ⁵. Cell broadcast is still being planned ⁶.

What do the cyclone signals mean?

The signals for sea ports, as defined in the Standing Orders on Disaster and by the Meteorological Department ¹²:

No flag is hoisted for signals 1, 2 and 3 ¹. The Meteorological Department describes signal 9 as crossing with the port on the right ²; the English edition of the Standing Orders repeats "on the left" for signal 9 ¹.

River ports use four signals ¹²: No. 1 (squally weather up to 60 km/h, also hoisted for nor'westers), No. 2 (a storm up to 61 km/h or a nor'wester of 61 km/h or more; vessels of 65 feet or less must reach shelter at once), No. 3 (62-88 km/h; all vessels must take shelter at once) and No. 4 (89 km/h or more; all vessels must be in safe shelter). On 13 November 2026, the inland river-ports warning read that no signal was to be hoisted ⁷.

What should I do at each signal?

The Standing Orders give messages for the community ¹. At the distant signals 1 and 2: prepare battery-run radios and torch lights, listen to radio and TV or dial 1090, and store dry food, potable water, emergency medications and first aid materials. At danger signal 6: people in the warning area may take shelter in pucca buildings or cyclone shelters and stay away from the sea and riverbank. At great danger signals 8, 9 and 10: everyone should be evacuated to safe buildings or cyclone shelters ¹. The household guide of the Department of Disaster Management says to go to the shelter with your family as soon as the great danger signal (3 flags) is received ⁸.

How do warnings reach villages?

Through the Cyclone Preparedness Programme (CPP). On 1 September 2026 it had 77,360 volunteers, 38,680 men and 38,680 women, in 3,868 units across 13 districts ³. The CPP relays the Meteorological Department's bulletins by HF and VHF radio to upazilas and unions, and volunteers pass them on ⁴:

• signals 1-3: by word of mouth, telling people to follow the radio and TV;
• signal 4: megaphones and microphones, and 1 signal flag;
• signals 5-7: megaphones, microphones and public address systems, and 2 flags;
• signals 8-10: the same, plus hand sirens, and 3 flags ⁴.

Is there a phone or SMS alert?

Dial 1090, toll free from any mobile phone: press 1 for weather for sea-going fishers, 2 for river-port warning signals, 3 for the daily weather, 4 for cyclone warning signals, and 5 for floods and river levels ⁵. The ministry describes 1090 as a 24/7 service of pre-recorded warnings from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre and the Meteorological Department ⁹.

There is no alert pushed to every phone yet. In June 2025 the telecom regulator BTRC hosted an ITU workshop on implementing a cell broadcast early warning system; the ITU reports a preliminary agreement on its architecture and the need for legal and regulatory frameworks ⁶. One-off text messages are used for awareness: for National Disaster Preparedness Day 2020, the DDM asked BTRC to send a 160-character Bangla message on 9 and 10 March ¹⁰.

The Disaster Alert for BD app, linked from the DDM website, gives advance warnings for the union you select and lists nearby shelters ¹¹. See Emergency radio and Emergency alerts abroad.

Are there sirens?

No national siren network. Phaenyx found no national siren code in official Bangladeshi sources; the only sirens described are the hand sirens of CPP volunteers at great danger signals ⁴¹². The Standing Orders list a local warning (siren) system as an action still to develop ¹.

How are floods announced?

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) of the Bangladesh Water Development Board shows every river station as Normal, Warning, Flood or Severe against its danger level: more than 50 cm below, within 50 cm below, above, or more than 1 m above the danger level ¹³. It offers a "Flood Alert" subscription and Google Public Alerts ¹³. You can also dial 1090 and press 5 ⁵. See Flood preparedness.

Are there drills?

Yes, locally. The CPP held 4 cyclone field drills in the 2025-2026 financial year, including one in Barishal on 13 October 2025 for the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, then Bhola on 26 June 2026, Cox's Bazar on 28 June 2026, and Barguna ¹⁴. National Disaster Preparedness Day is held on 10 March ¹⁰¹⁵.

Frequently asked questions

What is signal number 10 in Bangladesh?

A great danger signal: a severe cyclone with winds of 89 km/h or more will cross the coast over or near the port. Three flags are hoisted ¹².

When should I go to the cyclone shelter?

As soon as the great danger signal (3 flags) is received, says the Department of Disaster Management ⁸.

How do I hear cyclone warnings without TV?

Dial 1090 free and press 4, or follow CPP volunteers and Bangladesh Betar radio ⁵⁴¹.

Does Bangladesh send cell broadcast alerts?

Not yet. A cell broadcast system was still being planned with BTRC and the ITU in 2025 ⁶.

Preparedness index: Bangladesh ranks 54th of 67, 44.5/100 · full ranking