Written by The Banking Post
Bangladesh lost an estimated US$1.78 billion in productivity in 2024 as extreme heat wiped out about 25 million working hours, according to a World Bank report released Tuesday in Dhaka. The losses represent 0.3–0.4% of GDP, underscoring how climate stress is eroding human capital and growth.
The study — “The Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh” — found productivity plunges sharply when temperatures exceed 37°C, compared with days below 30°C. Without effective interventions, the economy could shed up to 4.9% of GDP by 2030, it warned.
Since 1980, Bangladesh’s maximum temperature has risen by 1.1°C, while the heat index has jumped 4.5°C, fuelling health problems such as diarrhoea, respiratory illness, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Dhaka faces the gravest threat, with its heat index climbing 65% faster than the national average because of rapid urbanisation, loss of greenery, and “urban heat island” effects.
Women, the elderly, and workers in outdoor or poorly ventilated spaces are most vulnerable, the report said. In summer, cases of diarrhoea and persistent cough double compared to winter, while depression and anxiety also rise.
The World Bank urged urgent, evidence-based policies and investment to protect people, livelihoods and the economy from escalating heat risks, warning that Bangladesh ranks second globally for exposure to high temperatures.
