Photo: Messenger
Heatwave is currently going all over Bangladesh. Almost everywhere in the country, including Dhaka, is currently in the condition of furnaces. The temperature has already crossed 44 degrees.
Weather and climate experts have expressed fear that this heat wave may continue till May-June. Although there is a chance of rain, this summer will be prolonged, which has had an adverse impact on people's lives.
Due to heat waves, the productive sector is losing 2,700 Billion USD every year. If this continues, by the year 2030, the garment sector alone will lose 6B USD. As a result, nearly two and a half lakh workers can lose their jobs. This information came out in a discussion meeting organised by Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE).
Demands have been raised to officially declare the heat wave a disaster, although so far this is limited to alerts. In addition to providing financial support to the families of workers who lost their lives due to heat waves, emphasis is also placed on including heat wave emissions in climate policies. It is also said that workers may lose 25 percent of their total working hours during April-May due to the current heat wave. As a result, the estimated financial loss will be Tk 50 crore.
The public life of the capital Dhaka has become the worst and most miserable. Dhaka is already an overcrowded city. Day by day, it has turned into an unplanned concrete mess. Here every day citizens have to live with the risk of life. Road accidents, air pollution, noise pollution, fire accidents, gas cylinder explosions, electrocution, load shedding, water pollution and crises are already casual risks.
The terrible heat wave added to the misery, making public life almost immobile and unbearable. Four rivers considered as the lifeline of the capital - Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Turag and Balu rivers are already dying due to encroachment and pollution. Most of the canals have been derelict with dumping of waste. As a result of unplanned urbanisation, there is almost no vegetation. Playgrounds and parks are almost invisible here. Illegal structures have been built in those places. As a result, the huge amount of heat radiated by the sun every day accumulates under the earth.
The capital appears to be a furnace. Moreover, there are many illegal brickyards around the capital. There is no doubt that Dhaka will soon become uninhabitable in that state.
There is no easy way to get rid of this misery. The people concerned are talking about developing environmentally friendly urbanisation and planned cities. It is said to plant more trees. There is talk of rescuing the canals. Dealing with the risks of climate change, including global warming, is also being talked about. It is unpleasant to say that there is no roadmap for adopting and implementing such short or any long term plans.
Messenger/Disha
