Bangladesh, known for its resilience, is facing an unprecedented challenge: heat waves. Once infrequent, these occurrences have become alarmingly common, disrupting people’s lives in cities, rural areas, and coastal regions.

Human activities have significantly exacerbated Bangladesh's heatwaves. Rapid urbanisation and rampant deforestation have transformed cities like Dhaka and Chattogram into heat islands by trapping heat amidst concrete expanses. Encroachments on rivers disrupt natural cooling mechanisms, while irresponsible agricultural practices (excessive chemical use, poor soil management, deforestation for farming, monoculture, lack of crop rotation, and inefficient water management) have further degraded the environment. The relentless surge in air pollution, fuelled by a burgeoning population and escalating energy demands, exacerbates the crisis too.

We must be aware that apart from creating mere discomfort, heatwaves pose grave health risks to the populace. Heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke and dehydration, proliferate, while disease-carrying vectors thrive, propagating illnesses like dengue fever.

Meanwhile, such record-breaking temperatures may wreak havoc on Bangladesh’s fragile ecosystems. If heatwaves persist, agriculture will face mounting challenges, with the possibility of crop failures and reduced yields leading to food insecurity. Then, water stress may intensify as well, impacting agriculture and drinking water, while wildlife habitats will be damaged alarmingly. Coastal regions teeter on the brink of inundation, as rising temperatures strain already stretched energy resources.

The agricultural sector grapples with an array of obstacles presented by heatwaves, from fruit damage to disrupted planting cycles. Water scarcity compounds these issues, necessitating urgent improvements in water management and the cultivation of heat-tolerant crops to safeguard food security.

In the meantime, coastal areas bear the brunt of increased heat-related illnesses, water scarcity, and disruptions to agriculture. Early warning systems and habitat restoration initiatives are necessary for enhancing community resilience in the face of these challenges.

As livestock face mounting threats due to heat stress, providing them with shade, clean water, etc. is imperative to safeguard them.

Next, declining fish stocks and dwindling catches jeopardise both food security and livelihoods, and the on-going heatwaves may further deteriorate the situation. So, adopting sustainable fisheries management practices and bolstering aquaculture resilience is essential for the sector’s survival at this critical juncture.

As Bangladesh faces frequent and severe heatwaves, urgent action is imperative in this regard. Prioritising sustainable practices and resilience-building efforts is crucial, including investing in water management, heat-tolerant crops, and early warning systems. Collaboration among government agencies, NGOs, communities, and international partners is also essential to address these interconnected challenges. Bangladesh must make sincere efforts towards overcoming this environmental challenge and ensure a sustainable future.

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The writer is Executive Director, National Oceanographic and Maritime Institute (NOAMI) and Joint Secretary, South Asian Meteorological Association (SAMA) Email: [email protected]