Dhaka’s poor are suffering from heatwave: How to deal with it?
Authors: Md. Obaidullah and Md. Showkat Raihan*
Heat wave is a meteorological phenomenon that typically occurs in Bangladesh during summer and monsoon seasons. However, there is no formal and uniform definition of a heat wave that would be applicable everywhere. This varies from country to country and organization to organization.
Changing climatic patterns are accelerating the intensity and severity of the heat wave; it is one of the most dangerous risks. It wreaks havoc and harms human health by causing heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat exhaustion. In addition, it is responsible for a significant number of deaths worldwide and Bangladesh is no exception.
A heat wave occurs when the daily maximum temperature exceeds 36 degrees Celsius over a wide area. In Bangladesh, it is particularly risky due to the high humidity of the air, while high humidity inhibits the body’s natural cooling system.
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, has recently experienced an excessive heatwave; hence the city has suffered greatly. In 2022, the month of August, this country recorded record temperatures in the last three decades. While heat waves have always existed, the difficulty now is that intense heat is becoming more intense and frequent as a result of climate change.
A study published by the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center found that Dhaka loses $6 billion in labor productivity annually due to heat stress from extreme temperatures. That’s over 8 percent of the city’s annual work output, and if no action is taken to reduce global warming, that number could rise to 10 percent by 2050.
Bangladesh loses 7 billion work hours annually to excessive heat. Assuming a 12-hour work day, a worker loses around 10 minutes of work time due to extreme heat. Bangladesh loses 254 working hours per person annually as a result of heat stress.
The temperature varies at times in different parts of Dhaka. Some of Dhaka’s poorest regions are hardest hit by heat waves. Temperatures are often warmer than the surrounding area, with a large concentration of informal settlements and widespread use of corrugated iron roofs.
The lack of greenery and the use of corrugated iron make the poorest places hotter. These absorb heat during the day and cannot emit enough heat at night. Due to the high rise buildings surrounding these locations blocking wind circulation, the air is trapped making the area hotter and more uncomfortable.
Extreme heat has the greatest impact on those already living in poverty. Poor people are exposed to health risks due to high temperatures. Heat waves often have complicated impacts on human economies due to lower labor productivity, particularly among informal workers and other outdoor workers.
Heat has the greatest impact on worker productivity and economic losses, and has already resulted in income losses of up to 10% in sectors such as garment manufacturing, transport and retail, where wages are already below average.
Production losses are particularly significant in industries such as brick and clothing manufacturing, where workers are exposed to higher temperatures due to their proximity to machinery and kilns. The loss of livestock or crops due to excessive heat affects people’s ability to provide for their needs.
Most workers, such as agricultural and informal workers, work outdoors and are exposed to intense heat. They dehydrate quickly and heat stress symptoms such as heat stroke, fatigue and cramps worsen, limiting their working hours.
Due to the extreme heat and humidity, a person cannot stay in one place for more than six hours when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius. And there is no doubt that such circumstances significantly reduce the working time.
It is evident that people receiving Medicare are more likely to be hospitalized and die during a heat wave. Infants, those with heart failure, kidney disease, chronic lung disease, pregnant women and the impoverished are all at risk.
Health experts say high temperatures will force hundreds of thousands of people in Dhaka, who already have little access to drinking water, to increase their water consumption. The lives of hundreds of thousands of people who depend on outdoor activities for their livelihoods can be at risk if governments fail to provide safe drinking water and educate them about the dangers of prolonged exposure to the sun.
Health experts usually advise those who depend on outdoor activities for a living to start their days early and spend less time in the sun. They also encouraged people to seek shade whenever possible and to bring umbrellas and drinking water.
Heat-related mortality and hazards can be greatly reduced by taking a few precautions. The WHO has already issued public health advice to the general public and healthcare professionals on how to deal with excessive heat. India has implemented the HEWS (Heat Early Warning System) program to prevent heat-related deaths and hazards. Bangladesh should take similar measures for the country’s largest cities, especially Dhaka and Chattagram.
In addition, implementation of the Heat Adaptation Plan (HAP) at city and government levels, as well as mass awareness and knowledge campaigns, infrastructure and technology development can improve public understanding and promote necessary actions to address the effects of heat waves in Bangladesh.
Authorities must ensure that sheds and green spaces in urban areas are provided with drinking water sources so that people can rest on hot days. They have to subsidize agriculture so that farmers can employ workers in two shifts. They must also provide universal health insurance to all citizens so that they have access to adequate health care at all times, which will encourage them to remain employed even under difficult circumstances.
Extreme heat disproportionately affects the impoverished. The situation is undoubtedly unsustainable and unless immediate action is taken, not only will the poor suffer, but our entire urbanized economy will be squeezed. The uncontrolled urbanization of Dhaka must be addressed immediately and the authorities must show their commitment to making the city livable by taking effective measures to minimize heat stress.
*Md. Showkat Raihan, who is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Public Administration at the University of Barishal.