Photo: Messenger
People of all professions, from farmers to traders, are suffering a lot due to the ongoing heatwave caused by climate change. Common people's income has been reduced to half. Such intense heat has never been felt before.
As a result, public life in cities and villages has come to a standstill. People do not leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. Those who go out are sweating in the heat.
There is a dire situation of public life in the southwest and northern regions. The condition of vegetation in these areas is worse. Because the underground water level has gone down, there is no water in these areas even in the deep tube wells.
As a result, many unirrigated croplands are in a parched state. All in all, the relentless heatwave, the power situation, the threats to production, and the economy – nothing can be avoided. As a result, there is a danger of having a direct impact on the future economy and the country's agricultural sector, animal resources, business, industrial production, communication system, education, and health.
Mahbubul Alam, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the top organisation of businessmen, told The Daily Messenger that due to the intense heat that resulted in a lack of workers, 20-30 per cent of factory goods cannot be transported.
Farmers and businessmen are suffering a loss of Tk 3,000 crore in the agricultural sector due to intense heat this year. Boro paddy in the field has been damaged because the water level has gone down in the Varendra area. Due to load-shedding, there is a disruption in the use of electric irrigation in villages.
Due to this, Boro paddy fields cannot be irrigated at the last moment. Apart from this, buds of seasonal fruits, including mango, litchi, and jackfruit, are dropping. Various types of crops, including corn and banana, are dying in the field due to the heat.
Bangladesh is affected by a major drought once every two and a half years. This has an influence on the country this year. There is drought across the north-western and northern regions of the country, including Naogaon, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Jaipurhat, Chapainawabganj, and Thakurgaon districts.
The total land area in these drought-prone districts is 5.46 million hectares, which is about 77 per cent of the country's total arable land. According to data, there is a financial loss of Tk 2,734 crore in this region every year due to drought. In the 1990s, the country's food production was reduced by 3.5 million tonnes due to drought.
According to the Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation, annual losses to the productive sector in Dhaka due to heatstroke are $2,700 crore. If this trend continues, by the year 2030, there will be a loss of $600 crore in the clothing sector alone. About two and a half lakh garment workers will be at risk of losing their jobs.
Abdul Matin, director of the cow farmers' organization Samaj and Jatiganthan (Sajag), told The Daily Messenger that the cows are unable to eat due to the intense heat. Cows are dying in farms due to excessive heat. Cows that are still alive are not growing because they cannot eat natural food. As a result the affected farmers.
Abdul Matin, director of the cow farmers' organisation Samaj and Jatigathan (Sajag), told The Daily Messenger that the cows are unable to eat due to the intense heat. “Cows are dying in farms due to excessive heat. Cows that are still alive are not growing because they cannot eat natural food. As a result, farmers are affected.”
Bangladesh Poultry Association President Suman Howladar told The Daily Messenger that water is being given to the broiler chicken intermittently to keep them alive amid the scorching heat. “Poultry sheds have got new fans. Also, various measures have been taken, but still 16 lakh chicken died in heatstroke in last 16 days. It caused a loss of Tk 20 crore per day to the farmers and at least Tk 300 crore.”
The decrease in the number of people outside has also affected trade. Due to lack of buyers, markets and shops are also opening late. Earlier, many shops used to start trade within 10 o'clock. Now at 11 in the morning, many shops open. Those who open earlier have no buyers. People don't go to the market unless absolutely necessary. As a result, sales are low despite shops being open throughout the day.
Helal Uddin, president of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, told The Daily Messenger that people are not coming out of their houses due to the heat. As a result, traders are buying and selling at an average of 20 to 30 per cent of expectations for the last 15 days.
BKMEA Executive President Mohammad Hatem told The Daily Messenger that there is frequent load-shedding in the factories. “On the one hand, the cost of production increases due to more fuel consumption. On the other hand, production is reduced by 15 to 20 per cent due to inability to work in unbearable heat.”
Shahidullah Azim, the former senior vice-president of BGMEA, an association of ready-made garment owners, said that production has decreased as a result of the heatwave, and all types of costs have increased. Goods cannot be shipped to customers on time.
Meanwhile, 85 per cent of the country's workers are in the informal sector. Most of them are self-employed. Some drive rickshaws and others drive scooters, CNG-run autorickshaws or some other vehicles. They are not able to sustain themselves for long in the scorching heat and drought.
Messenger/Disha
