Rising Heat Puts Bangladesh's Health, Economy And Environment Under Strain

With increasing heat and humidity, Bangladesh has been experiencing severe adverse weather phenomena that are making life and livelihoods ever more challenging.

- Mushfiqur Rahman

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted that heat waves in the coming decades will become more frequent, with daily temperatures expected to exceed 35°C even beyond the summer season. The country’s agricultural sector has already been recording lower yields for rice and other crops due to extreme weather conditions.

The health situation has also deteriorated as extreme heat triggers widespread illnesses, including diarrhea, persistent cough, respiratory diseases, and heat exhaustion. A recently released research report titled “An Unsustainable Life: The Impacts of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh,” published on September 16, 2025, by the World Bank in Dhaka, revealed that Bangladesh’s maximum temperature has risen by 1.1°C since 1980. However, the “feels-like” temperature has surged by 4.4°C.

The World Bank study established measurable links between rising temperatures and increased risks to physical and mental health, declining productivity, and major economic losses in Bangladesh. According to the report, higher heat levels in 2024 led to a loss of 250 million workdays, costing the national economy up to US$1.78 billion.

People living below the poverty line have been the hardest hit, as their already poor working and living conditions have worsened amid rising temperatures. The lack of safe drinking water and minimal hygiene facilities has become more common, leaving poor communities—particularly women in unplanned urban settlements and drought-prone rural areas—especially vulnerable during heat waves.