Extreme heatwave and our liabilities -Moinul Alam

In the month of April, people in Bangladesh witnessed extreme heatwaves across the country. This was the longest heatwave in the country’s history, lasting 26 consecutive days. Our government usually does not consider a heatwave a natural catastrophe, but this time the situation was different. As a result of the simmering summer, the government had to issue heat alerts across the country, forcing school closures for two weeks.

During the heatwave, temperatures hovered around 40 degrees Celsius across the country, which is higher than the maximum average temperature of 33 degrees during this month of the year. Climate change may be the cause of this heat wave. In the 1980s, an April heatwave lasted two to three days, and the temperature remained relatively moderate, around 30 degrees. Last year, the heatwave existed for a week, and the temperature reached over 40 degrees. This year, the situation deteriorated further. Therefore, we can anticipate a horrible situation in the upcoming years.

During this heatwave in April, a total of 15 people died across the country due to heatstroke, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The actual number of people dying of heat-related illnesses could be higher, as the DGHS started keeping records on April 22, twenty days after the ongoing heatwave began searing the country. The number of cases unreported may even be higher, as the DGHS does not have access to data related to those who fall ill at home.

Bangladesh has been in a very vulnerable position when it comes to the impact of global warming and climate change. A recent study by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) has revealed that Dhaka city only has 7.09 percent green space and 2.9 percent wetlands. Ideally, every city should have a minimum of 15 percent green space and 10–12 percent wetland. Moreover, data from the World Resources Institute-operated platform Global Forest Watch revealed some fearful facts. Accordingly, Bangladesh has lost approximately 246,000 hectares of forested area in just two decades, from 2001 to 2023. In the name of promoting tourism, we have witnessed the encroachment upon the Sundarbans and Saint Martin’s Island.

As a result, there should be no doubt that indiscriminate tree felling is the primary reason for this unprecedented heatwave. During the April heatwave, the temperature in areas with a high density of trees, such as Dhaka University in Ramna, dropped by 7 degrees compared to other parts of the city that were densely covered in concrete jungles. According to a study, the high density of buildings and populations in urban areas, light pollution, and transportation activities all contribute heavily to the urban heat island effect. As a result, cities are significantly warmer than the surrounding rural or suburban areas. Moreover, a lack of green and blue spaces such as parks, trees, and water bodies further exacerbates the problem by reducing the cooling effects of vegetation and water evaporation.

We have witnessed tree-felling directed by government bodies. Recently, residents of the city’s Dhanmondi area protested as Dhaka South City Corporation cut trees on the road dividers of Sat Masjid Road for developmental work. Despite the protests, the authorities remained in their position and did not even regret their wrongdoing. Protesters assert that the area saw the cutting down of hundreds of trees.

A recent study revealed that a large tree can provide oxygen for four people. In India, there are nearly 28 trees per person. In the United Kingdom and the United States of America, the figures are 43 and 699, respectively. But how many trees are there in Bangladesh for each person? Definitely not, as the authorities have never taken the issue seriously beyond campaigning for tree planting and observing World Environment Day.

The Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre appointed Asia’s first Chief Heat Officer (CHO) for Dhaka North City Corporation in an effort to combat the extreme heatwave. Due to the novelty of this concept in the country, the CHO has frequently faced online trolling. CHO works on implementing long-term strategies by collaborating with city officials, community groups, and private sector partners. Their efforts include planting trees, setting up cooling centres, and increasing shade in public spaces to combat the urban heat island effect. Furthermore, the CHO may be responsible for heat preparedness planning, data analysis and monitoring, public health advocacy, community engagement, urban planning and infrastructure resilience, and emergency response coordination.

The CHO may be able to work in full capacity if we can institutionalise the post by bringing about a number of legal reforms. These reforms are crucial to empowering our heat officers and enabling them to make a real difference.
Based on the discussion above, we need proper planning and coordination between all responsible authorities, whether in the public or private sector. We need to implement innovative strategies to accelerate plantations and prioritise ‘Green Urbanisation’ simultaneously. We must remember that the upcoming days are likely to be more inclement, so we must act now before it’s too late.