'BD loses $24b in income due to extreme heat'

Bangladesh lost $24 billion as extreme heat cut its labour productivity in 2024, revealed The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report published earlier this week. The change in weather pattern also increased by 90 per cent over the period from 1951-1960 to 2015-2024 the transmission potential for dengue, said a press release issued on the occasion of the publication of the report.

Each person in Bangladesh experienced an average of 28.8 heatwave days. Of these, 13.2 would not have been expected to occur without climate change, the press release said, quoting the report.

The national launch of the report took place at BRAC Centre on Thursday, jointly organized by the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER) at BRAC University and The Lancet Countdown, with support from the Climate Change and Health Promotion Unit under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The keynote paper was presented by Dr. Shouro Dasgupta, an environmental economist and senior fellow at the Greentham Research Institute under the London School of Economics. The annual global report analyzes over 50 indicators worldwide, tracking heat exposure, air pollution, drought, disease outbreaks, and economic losses across sectors such as agriculture and labor.

In his welcome speech, Professor Ainun Nishat, Emeritus Professor at BRAC University, called for more action to tackle the impacts of the changing climate.

Heat intensity and duration have sharply increased since the 1990s, the report said.

Heat exposure led to the loss of 29 billion potential work hours in 2024-92% higher than in the 1990s. Agricultural workers bore the brunt of this, with 64% of hours lost. Total losses resulted in $24 billion in income lost, equivalent to 5% of Bangladesh's GDP. About 55% of income losses occurred in the agricultural sector, the report revealed.

Air pollution remains a leading cause of premature death.

Rising sea levels place millions at risk, the press release said, adding that in 2024, nearly 14 million people lived less than one meter above sea level, increasing vulnerability to flooding and salinity intrusion.

The 2025 Report of the Lancet Countdown underscores that climate change is no longer a future threat for Bangladesh-it is a present public health and economic emergency. Experts at the launch emphasized that, with millions of lives at risk from heat, air pollution, malnutrition, vector-borne diseases, and rising sea levels, urgent national action is critical.

Speakers also stressed the urgent need for enhanced national policies and coordinated investment in renewable energy, climate-resilient agriculture, and air quality improvements. The Lancet Countdown report calls for international support and dedicated climate finance, particularly from COP30, to enable countries like. Bangladesh to implement effective health adaptation measures, safeguard communities, and protect overall health and well-being.

Senior officials, climate researchers, and public health experts warned that without decisive national action and global support, Bangladesh risks reversing decades of development gains while facing escalating health and livelihood challenges.