Buildings Across Bangladesh Turn Into Heat Boxes

Although global warming is a factor behind the continuous rise in temperature in Bangladesh, the domestic causes are far greater. For more than four decades, unplanned urbanization has continued in Dhaka and across the country.

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These were the remarks of Professor and researcher Dr. Abdus Salam of the Department of Chemistry, and Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka, in a conversation with Energy & Power Editor Mollah Amzad Hossain.

The World Bank recently released a study, saying that Bangladesh annually loses Tk 21,000 per capita due to rising temperatures. What is your view of this study?

Look, the bigger issue is not the exact financial loss, but rather that the World Bank has presented data on temperature rise and its impacts. That is commendable. The more such studies and research are conducted, the more they will help create awareness and drive action. The World Bank is Bangladesh's biggest partner in efforts to reduce temperature rise and curb air pollution. For example, three projects—AQMP, TASE, and BEST—have been implemented for this purpose. This study should have highlighted how successful those projects were in achieving their goals. At the same time, it should have included policy-level and implementation-level recommendations on what actions are needed.

In practice, no effective initiatives were taken for a long time to curb rising temperatures. In fact, Bangladesh has gone in the opposite direction. Activities such as blocking water bodies, cutting down greenery, and pursuing unplanned urbanization have continued. As a result, during this period, temperatures have increased by 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius.

In Dhaka, the effects of rising temperatures are much greater in areas like Motijheel and Tejgaon compared to Ramna or the Cantonment. Sustainable urbanization was never implemented in the capital according to proper regulations. Dhaka’s reservoirs have gradually disappeared, canals have vanished, and low-lying wetlands around the city have been filled to build housing. As a result, the very features that could have helped reduce temperatures have been systematically destroyed—and this continues.