While floods, cyclones and droughts often dominate climate discussions in Bangladesh, extreme heat is emerging as a less visible but increasingly significant economic decelerator. From garment factories and farms to construction sites and transport services, rising temperatures are affecting labour productivity, increasing operating costs and posing new challenges to economic growth.
First comes export-oriented garment industry for a reality check. Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) industry employs more than 4.0-million workers, most of whom perform labour-intensive tasks in factory environments. As temperatures rise, workers experience greater physical fatigue, reduced cognitive performance and slower reaction times. These factors can lead to lower productivity, increased errors and higher absenteeism.
This is more discomfortable in Bangladesh, where all female workers wear traditional clothing such as "salwar" "kameez" with "orna", while some also wear "burqas". Combined with high humidity, these factors can intensify heat stress on human bodies in the workplaces.
The growing need for cooling and ventilation systems is creating additional pressure on factory operating costs. Although many export-oriented factories have invested in modern facilities, a significant number still faces limitations in workplace cooling and ventilation infrastructure.
The latest rise in electricity tariffs have further added another challenge for maintaining comfortable working environments.
No comprehensive study has yet quantified the impact of heat stress on Bangladesh's garment workers, but industry observers warn that prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures could affect production efficiency and, ultimately, export competitiveness of the industry which contributes around 80 per cent to the country's total export receipts.
Officials of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) argue that the industry has made substantial progress in developing environmentally friendly factories. Many global buyers increasingly favour suppliers with green production facilities, energy-efficient operations and improved workplace conditions.
Agriculture faces growing risks: Agriculture, which remains a cornerstone of Bangladesh's economy as it contributes more than 11 per cent to the GDP and ensures food security, is highly vulnerable to temperature rises.
Rice production is particularly sensitive to heat during the flowering stage. Even short periods of elevated temperatures during this critical phase can reduce grain formation and lower yields. Climate experts warn that increasing heat stress may threaten future food security unless adaptation measures are strengthened.
Vegetable and fruit cultivation is also being affected by rising temperatures. Heat stress can reduce crop quality, lower productivity and increase water requirements, placing additional pressure on farmers. Shortlived winter also impacts the production of many vegetables.
The livestock sub-sector of agriculture faces similar challenges. Dairy farms often experience lower milk production during periods of extreme heat as animals consume less feed and suffer physiological stress. It also reduces the reproduction rates. The sector contributes to climate change primarily through methane emissions from cattle digestion and nitrous oxide from manure.
The poultry industry is especially vulnerable. Chickens perform best at temperatures between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius. When temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius, their ability to regulate body temperature becomes impaired. At temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, birds may suffer severe heat stress, which can result in significant mortality and financial losses for farmers. Every year, local poultry farmers face significant losses during high temperature, leading to price volatility of the protein.
Higher temperatures are also increasing irrigation demand. As evaporation rates rise and drought conditions become more frequent, farmers are forced to use more water to maintain crop production.
This raises cultivation costs and places additional strain on already-stressed water resources.
Much of Bangladesh's climate discourse continues to focus on calamities like floods, cyclones, droughts and coastal vulnerabilities. However, rising temperatures are increasingly affecting economic activities across multiple sectors, often in less visible ways.
The economic costs of extreme heat extend beyond reduced labour productivity. Higher energy consumption, increased healthcare expenditures, lower agricultural output and disruptions to industrial operations are all becoming part of the country's climate challenge.
As Bangladesh prepares to observe the World Environment Day 2026 today (Friday) under the theme of climate action, the growing impact of heat on business activities, labour productivity and economic growth deserves greater attention.
Addressing heat-related risks may become just as important as managing floods and cyclones in building a climate-resilient economy under the new political atmosphere.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com