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Heatwaves heavy toll on our health and economy

Published : Wednesday, 1 May, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 644
Md Tahsinul Haque
As the scorching heatwave tightens its grip on our country, the agony of constant drought and high temperatures becomes more palpable. The very fabric of daily life is unravelling under the relentless glare of the sun. The roads melt like molten wax, and the air shimmers with oppressive heat. With each passing day, the mercury rises, leaving us gasping for relief that appears increasingly elusive. The highest temperature of the season was recorded in Bangladesh on Monday. The Meteorological Department reports that the maximum temperature in the western district of Chuadanga has risen to 43 degrees Celsius.
The question on everyones parched lips is: why does Dhaka swelter under such an unforgiving heatwave? Undoubtedly, the specter of global warming looms large, casting its long shadow over our city and countless others around the world. The inexorable march of climate change has turned up the heat, leaving no corner of the globe untouched.

But in the midst of this worldwide catastrophe, urban warming is another sneaky enemy that waits outside our city walls. In heavily populated areas such as Dhaka, the already oppressive temperatures are made worse by this phenomenon, which is commonly known as the Urban Heat Island effect. The temperature differential between expansive urban jungles and rural landscapes can rise to dangerous heights of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. This urban heat island effect has significant and far-reaching effects. In addition to causing discomfort to locals, it has a negative impact on public health and our economy. A recent study by the Adrien Orst-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center revealed that Dhaka hemorrhages a staggering $6 billion from its GDP each year due to extreme temperatures, amounting to 8 percent of the citys annual economic output. Without intervention, this figure is projected to climb to a harrowing 10 percent by 2050.
When Dhaka is compared to other major cities around the world, it becomes clear how vulnerable it is. Dhaka is the most vulnerable of the 12 cities in the group because of its labor-intensive economy and little protection from cooling winds, which leaves its citizens especially vulnerable to the damaging effects of heat. Unfortunately, the evidence of our citys predicament is becoming stronger, but city corporation authorities have done a dismal job of resolving the issue. Experts recommend using natural methods to reduce the urban heat island effect, such as maintaining and growing green areas and water bodies, but Dhakas greenery is disappearing at a startling rate. In the last thirty years, the city has lost about fifty-six percent of its green space, and about twenty-two percent of its wetlands have been destroyed by urbanization.

The most vulnerable residents of the city are severely affected by this ecological destruction. The temperature in slums and low-income housing is 12 degrees Celsius higher than in other parts of Dhaka because the heat is trapped in their tin-roofed homes during the day and released slowly at night. Unchecked urbanization in our city has left these marginalized communities deprived of green space and airflow due to encroaching high-rise buildings. The effects of the heat crisis go beyond simple discomfort; they have a severe negative impact on the working classs standard of living in Dhaka. Rising temperatures mean a ten percent drop in pay for workers in already low-wage industries like retail, transportation, and apparel manufacturing. The peril is particularly acute in industries like garment factories and brick kilns, where laborers toil in close proximity to machinery and furnaces.


The urban heat island effect is further exacerbated by the widespread construction of air-conditioned buildings, exacerbating the citys temperature problems. The financial consequences of this crisis have the potential to overwhelm our city if they are not controlled, putting an extreme amount of stress on our already fragile economy. Given this impending disaster, quick action is necessary. The unplanned urbanization of Dhaka needs to be controlled, and the citys officials need to keep their promise to make the city livable by taking drastic steps to lower the temperature. Half-measures and hollow promises are so last century. We have a responsibility to address this crisis as soon as possible for the benefit of present and future generations.

Yet, as we rally to address the broader challenges posed by Dhakas heat crisis, we must not lose sight of the human toll exacted by this unforgiving heatwave. In the sweltering confines of their tin-roofed dwellings, slum dwellers endure temperatures that defy description. The scorching heat transforms their homes into veritable ovens, where every breath is a struggle against suffocating heat and every moment an ordeal.But the suffering doesn end with the oppressive temperatures. Lacking access to basic amenities such as electricity and running water, slum dwellers are left defenseless against the ravages of the heatwave. Without fans or air conditioning to provide relief, they are forced to rely on primitive methods of cooling, such as wet towels and makeshift hand fans.Compounding their misery is the lack of greenery and open spaces in their surroundings. Hemmed in by towering high-rise buildings and concrete structures, slum dwellers are deprived of the natural cooling effect afforded by trees and vegetation. Instead, they find themselves trapped in a veritable urban heat trap, where the air hangs heavy with stifling heat and humidity.

Given this extreme suffering, it is our collective responsibility as a society to act. When responding to the heat crisis, DNCC and DSCC authorities must put the needs of slum dwellers first, making sure they have access to utilities like clean water, power, and medical care. In order to build more resilient and livable communities that shield the most vulnerable from the worst effects of climate change, investments in infrastructure and urban planning are required.

The writer is Officer at Office of Research, North South University and Post-Graduate in Sociology from the University of Dhaka



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