AS THE scorching summer heat approaches, Bangladesh braces for extreme weather. Already grappling with the impacts of climate change, the country faces a growing risk threatening millions, particularly its most vulnerable populations — children. These young ones often suffer the most when temperatures soar, exacerbating health risks, disrupting education, and deepening existing inequalities.
Last year, Bangladesh experienced a prolonged heat wave lasting more than three weeks, with temperatures soaring to 42 degrees Celsius in over 75 per cent of the country. In response, the government shut down schools, affecting 33 million children and forcing them away from their studies. When schools reopened, shifts were adjusted to earlier in the day to protect children from the extreme heat.
UNICEF reports that over one billion children worldwide are at risk from climate change impacts, including heat waves, floods, and droughts. In Bangladesh, this risk is acute. The extreme temperatures last year not only interrupted education but also added strain to families already struggling with poverty. Inadequate cooling systems and safe drinking water exacerbated the situation, exposing many children to heat-related illnesses like dehydration and heatstroke. Vulnerable communities, especially in rural areas, faced severe challenges in coping with the extreme heat.
The rising intensity and frequency of heat waves in Bangladesh are part of a broader trend linked to climate change. As the planet continues to warm, extreme weather events like heat waves are expected to become more frequent and severe. UNICEF emphasises that children are especially vulnerable to heat-induced illnesses due to their inability to regulate body temperature effectively, which increases their risk of dehydration, heatstroke, and other health issues. Additionally, extreme heat has been linked to increased mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, among children and adolescents.
In response, last year the government of Bangladesh and development partners took some proactive steps to mitigate the effects of the heat wave. Distributed safe drinking water to the worst-hit areas and heat wave awareness campaigns throughout affected communities. In the northwest, where the lands are becoming arid, drought-tolerant seeds were provided to farmers, and irrigation systems were upgraded. An effective early warning system and media engagement play a pivotal role in subsidising the blistering heat conditions.
While these efforts brought some relief, there are gaps in preparedness and response systems. A key finding from last year, the need for better forecasting and early warning systems is very much crucial to mitigate the heat wave hazards. Accurate predictions of extreme weather events are climacteric for ensuring timely responses and minimising risks to children and vulnerable communities. Furthermore, although awareness-raising was somewhat successful, the scale of response must increase to more effectively protect vulnerable communities.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorology Department, the country faces another year of extreme heat, and around two heat waves are expected over western and south-western parts of the region during the month of April; it’s clear that anticipatory action — measures taken before a disaster strikes — is crucial. Strengthening early warning systems, improving community preparedness, and ensuring that children’s needs are prioritised in disaster planning are essential steps to reducing the impact of heat waves. Last year’s experience showed that when communities are well-prepared, risks can be mitigated, and lives can be saved.
The time to act is now. By making children’s safety a central focus in our climate resilience strategies, we can ensure that Bangladesh’s most vulnerable populations are protected in the face of rising temperatures and increasingly frequent climate disasters.
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Fatema Meherunnessa is a development practitioner.
