Heat wipes out 29.3b work hrs in Bangladesh
Climate change-related health risks are costing Bangladesh an estimated $20.7 billion a year, equivalent to 4.6 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, as rising temperatures, diseases and climate-related disruptions take a growing toll on public health and economic productivity, according to a new study.
The findings were revealed in a report by the Knowledge Hub Institute (KHI), a private research organisation, titled Multidimensional Health Impacts of Climate Change in Bangladesh: Pathways, Costs and Policy Implications.
The report was unveiled at Brac Centre in Dhaka on Thursday, with State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Prof Dr MA Muhith attending as the chief guest.
KHI President Khandaker Golam Moazzem presented the findings.
The study estimated the annual economic losses by accounting for reduced work capacity, premature deaths and treatment costs for several diseases. It warned that the actual losses could be higher, as the calculation excluded the health costs of air pollution and non-fatal illnesses.
The report found that the number of days with temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius or higher has nearly doubled in the country’s eight divisional cities in the current decade compared with the 2000s.
Rising humidity alongside higher temperatures is making conditions more dangerous by hampering the body’s ability to release heat through sweating. The conditions also create a favourable environment for dengue transmission, the report said.
Excessive heat puts additional strain on the heart and kidneys, making physical labour more hazardous and increasing the risk of illness. Flooding and contaminated water also threaten public health and disrupt healthcare services, while disease outbreaks increase medical expenses and reduce people’s earnings.
According to the study, between $1 billion and $3.3 billion of the annual economic losses associated with climate-related health risks are directly linked to rising temperatures.
Moazzem said excessive heat alone caused an estimated 29.3 billion potential working hours to be lost in Bangladesh in 2024, resulting in economic losses worth around $15 billion.
The report separately estimated the financial value of work hours lost due to excessive heat at $15.8 billion in 2024. The calculation was based on reduced work capacity as extreme heat increases the risks associated with physical labour.
Farmers and agricultural workers accounted for nearly two-thirds of the lost working hours, while construction workers and others engaged in physically demanding occupations were also particularly vulnerable. The losses affect both their health and livelihoods, the report said.
The study examined the health impacts and economic costs of heatwaves, vector-borne and waterborne diseases, natural disasters and air pollution, alongside policy gaps in addressing climate-related health risks.
Moazzem called for sector-specific guidelines to protect people from extreme heat, district-level heat and health action plans, and more effective use of health-sector budgets.
He also stressed the need for adequate funding to implement the National Adaptation Plan for the health sector and called for greater priority for health-related climate risks in national policymaking and international climate negotiations, including the upcoming COP31 conference.
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Prof Dr MA Muhith said climate change was affecting public health through multiple, interconnected pathways, with rising temperatures and humidity emerging as major concerns in Bangladesh.
He said the Health Ministry could work with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department and other relevant agencies to develop an effective early warning system to protect people from climate-related health risks.
Muhith also emphasised stronger inter-ministerial coordination, expanded research and targeted measures for vulnerable groups, particularly women, children and people with disabilities, who face heightened risks during climate-related disasters.
He added that strong research evidence could help Bangladesh press for climate justice and increased climate financing at COP31, stressing that the priority now was to translate research findings into practical, coordinated action.
