Productive sector in Dhaka suffers yearly loss of $27bn due to heatwave

The productive sector in the capital, Dhaka, incurs a staggering annual loss of $27 billion due to the heatwave, speakers during a discussion meeting have expressed their grave concern over the catastrophic situation.

If the current trend persists, the loss in the Readymade Garment sector alone is projected to reach $6 billion by 2023, they said during the discussion meeting held at a hotel in Dhaka on Sunday.

Due to the financial loss, around 2.5 lakh workers in the apparel sector will lose their jobs, they said.

The Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment Foundation (OSHE) organised the programme on the “Impact of Climate Change on Occupational Health and Safety and Biochemical Pollution in the Workplace.”

The speakers also urged the government to implement comprehensive measures to address the situation, emphasising the need for an official declaration of the disaster in response to the ongoing and severe heatwave.

In addition, they also demanded financial assistance to the families of workers who lost their lives due to the heatwave at their respective workplaces.

They also demanded the incorporation of heatwaves into climate change policies, the implementation of special social protection programmes for individuals in dry areas and the inclusion of heatwaves in the occupational health regulations within the Bangladesh Labor Act.

Prof Dr Sheikh Tawhidul Islam of Jahangirnagar University presented the keynote paper during the discussion with Saki Rizwana, chairperson of OSHE in the chair.

In his keynote speech, Tawhidul Islam said that the workers in the RMG sector can lose up to 25 percent of their total working hours in April and May due to the intense heatwave and the estimated financial loss may reach Tk 50 crore.

Dr. S M Morshed, vice chairperson of the OSHE, Prof. Dr. Tazul Islam Chowdhury of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University, Prof Josinta Jinia of Bangladesh University of Professionals and Masum Ul Alam, health expert, were among the speakers during the programme.

Apart from them, around 40 representatives from various sectors, including government bodies, non-governmental organisations, workers' unions, research organisations, and non-governmental development organisations, attended the programme.