The World Bank’s latest findings should alarm every policy-maker in Bangladesh: As per the the report, “A Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities,” extreme heat cost our nation $18 billion in lost labour productivity and wiped out 465,000 jobs in Dhaka alone in 2024.
That this is projected to double in about 50 years is a reality we must prepare for from today itself, and do all we can to ensure that the worst does not come to pass.
What is most distressing about this is that it is hitting the poorest workers the hardest, thereby contributing to our widening inequality and undermining our development trajectory.
Our cities, especially Dhaka, have been trapped in a dangerous cycle of rising temperatures, expanding concrete, shrinking green spaces, and worsening air quality. The result has been all too predictable, with workers unable to continue or facing unbearable conditions to continue working.
To say Bangladesh must build heat‑resilient towns and cities is a gross understatement at this point. It is something we should have been planning for decades earlier.
However, given the exponential damage extreme heat does to our nation on a yearly basis, it is time to begin redesigning urban spaces with shade, ventilation, and greenery, enforcing building codes that reduce heat absorption, expanding our tree cover in our cities, and enact major reforms such as rethinking our transport infrastructure.
Better, more sustainable urban development is no longer optional but a survival strategy. Continuing to expand as a heat trap is not a solution, nor can it be classified as development. We must shift toward climate‑sensitive planning that prioritizes human health and economic resilience.
Extreme heat is already costing billions and destroying livelihoods. Without urgent action, the losses will continue to grow. We must treat heat resilience as a national priority. Our future depends on it.