Bangladesh Suffers Annual Financial Loss of Tk 21,000 Crore Due to Heat-Related Diseases: World Bank

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk: Bangladesh suffered financial losses of $133 million to $178 million due to heat-related diseases in 2024. This amounts to approximately Tk 15,960 crore to Tk 21,360 crore in local currency. This represents 0.3 percent to 0.4 percent of the country's total GDP (Gross Domestic Product) for that year. Additionally, when temperatures exceed 37 degrees Celsius compared to 30 degrees Celsius, the productivity of working people decreases significantly.

These facts were highlighted in the World Bank report titled "An Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh."

The organization officially launched the report on Tuesday at a hotel in the capital.

The chief guest at the launch ceremony was Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The special guest was Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant (Health) to the Chief Adviser.

The report was presented by World Bank Senior Operations Officer Iffat Mahmud and Health Specialist Omikiu A. Raja, with World Bank Divisional Director Jane Peesmiur presiding over the event.

The report states that from 1980 to 2023, the average temperature across Bangladesh increased by 1.1 degrees. However, in Dhaka, this increase was even higher at 1.4 degrees Celsius.

The report further mentions that the most common heat-related health issue is chronic cough problems. While the rate of such cough affliction is 3.3 percent in winter, it increases to 6 percent in summer. Additionally, 2.6 percent of survey participants believed they experienced fatigue due to heat-related causes. Fatigue is highest among the working population aged 36 to 65 years. However, heat-related fatigue is most prevalent among people aged 66 years.

Furthermore, diarrhea rates vary significantly by season. The rate of diarrhea infection is 4.4 percent in summer. In winter, this rate remains at 1.8 percent. Women and children under 5 years of age are most affected by this disease. Heat increase also creates mental health problems. While the rate of depression in winter is 16.2 percent, it increases to 20 percent in summer.

The report's recommendations state that national preparedness capacity must be enhanced to better cope with heat waves. This must be done through multilateral coordinated measures. Additionally, strong measures must be taken to prevent health problems and fatalities caused by high temperatures. Advanced technology must be used to protect health from heat waves. Accurate and detailed weather information must be collected for effective decision-making. International cooperation and financing arrangements must be made to reduce the impact of global temperature rise.

In her keynote address, Syeda Rizwana Hasan said that RAJUK has caused damage by allocating plots to ministers and MPs. Now these activities must be stopped and initiatives taken to compensate for the damage. RAJUK's residential projects cannot be undertaken by destroying greenery. At the same time, traveling from Dhaka to Mawa reveals thousands of housing project signboards in rice fields. It must be considered why these cannot be stopped. DAP must be properly prepared and implemented. Dhaka should be handed over to city dwellers rather than businessmen. The public also has responsibilities. Laws must be followed. Along with this, Dhaka must be decentralized.

In his special guest remarks, Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant (Health) to the Chief Adviser, said that international assistance is needed to reduce temperature-related health damage. Along with this, there must be domestic initiatives.