Bangladesh heatwaves hit health hard, making life a costly business 

Abida Begum, a 37-year-old mother, sat weeping in the crowded ward of a children’s hospital in Dhaka, where her son aged two had been battling pneumonia for the past week. She blamed his sickness on the unbearable heat and humidity engulfing Bangladesh this season.

Begum explained that she works as an office cleaner on a low salary and had already spent 50,000 taka (around $400) on medical treatment, even while she herself was struggling to overcome a 10-day fever. “I spent all my savings and now I’m empty,” she told Climate Home.

Across Bangladesh, soaring temperatures and persistent humidity are wreaking havoc on people’s health – and their finances. As the country grapples with unprecedented heatwaves, doctors, meteorologists and residents alike are sounding the alarm about the growing toll on lives and livelihoods.

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Dr. Nihar Ranjan Das, a specialist at Alliance Hospital, confirmed the troubling trend. “Due to the intense heat, people are losing excessive amounts of water through sweating, which causes dehydration, leading to diarrhoea and other illnesses,” he said. 

Heat also exacerbates the spread of viral diseases like influenza and pneumonia, he added, noting that eight out of every 10 patients he sees are suffering from heat-related ailments. “The cost of treatment is rising, placing heavy burdens especially on the middle class,” he added.

Dr. Shayla Afroze of the Bangladesh Shishu Hospital reported that during April this year, more than 21,700 children were treated in the outpatient department alone, averaging 130 new admissions daily. “Children sweat more in heat and get dehydrated faster,” she said.

Heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition where body temperature rises above 104°F (40C), is also becoming more common. And the heat has intensified the spread of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that thrives in warm, humid conditions. 

Dr. Touhid Uddin Ahmed, former chief scientific officer of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, explained that intermittent rainfall combined with persistent muggy heat creates ideal breeding conditions for the Aedes mosquito which carries dengue.

According to the government’s Health Emergency Operation Center, so far this year more than 30,500 cases of dengue have been reported across the country, leading to 118 deaths.

Yet while families are spending more on medical costs due to extreme heat, it has also had a ripple effect on home costs, transport and even education, as more water and energy are used to cool buildings and vehicles. 

Heatwaves get hotter and longer   

Weather and climate experts attribute the increasingly high temperatures being experienced over longer periods in Bangladesh largely to climate change.

“This year’s summer temperatures exceeded 40C – far beyond what we are used to,” said Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. In 2024, a prolonged heatwave lasting 26 consecutive days broke a 76-year record, he noted.

An international study, conducted by World Weather Attribution, Climate Central and the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, found that Bangladesh experienced 44 extra days of extreme heat from May 2024-May 2025 due to human-caused climate change, enduring a total of 94 days of unusually high temperatures in that period. 

According to the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Dhaka ranks among the world’s cities experiencing the most significant increases in temperature. Over the past 30 years, extreme heat days – with temperatures of 35C or higher – have almost doubled.

Comment: To help people prepare for extreme heat, we must communicate better

Fans and aircon fuel power bills

The Bangladeshi capital’s residents told Climate Home they are having to spend more on daily measures to cope with high temperatures and humidity.

“Extreme heat leads to increased electricity consumption,” said Tanvir Ahmed, a 30-year-old resident of Dhanmondi, an upscale neighbourhood of Dhaka. “We run fans and air conditioners longer, and our bills skyrocket. During power outages, we rely on generators or Instant Power Supplies (IPS), which add more costs.”

Others are forced to spend large sums on appliances such as refrigerators, fans and air conditioners, further straining budgets.

Transport expenses have also risen. Kamrul Islam of Dhaka’s Uttara neighbourhood explained, “I used to take non-AC trains to visit family in Chattogram for about $2.45. Now I prefer air-conditioned buses or compartments, which cost $3-$4 more per ticket. Travelling has become so expensive that I visit home less frequently.”

Monowar Hossain, a private school teacher from Moghbazar in Dhaka, said he also now prefers AC buses from Dhaka to Dinajpur. “It takes less time and avoids the fatigue that comes with long journeys in the heat, but the extra cost is my burden.”

In cities like Dhaka and beyond in tourist destinations like Cox’s Bazar, meanwhile, travellers are opting for air-conditioned hotels, and demand for rooms with cooling has surged sharply, prompting new construction of resorts and chalets with fewer non-AC options.

Poor communities suffer the most

But not everyone can afford to adapt their habits to a warming world. Anna Walnycki, a principal researcher at IIED focusing on climate action for equitable cities, emphasised the disproportionate impact of extreme heat on low-income communities. 

“People in informal settlements struggle the most – with poor housing, limited water access, and inadequate electricity – to keep cool,” she said. “Without urgent policy action to build resilience and manage heat risks, the situation will worsen.”

Walnycki said Bangladesh’s escalating heatwaves are a clear sign of the deepening impacts of climate change. The rising temperature extremes not only endanger health but also increase living costs, pushing many into deeper poverty, she added.

“The government and policymakers must develop comprehensive strategies to help communities adapt,” Walnycki urged. “This includes improving infrastructure in vulnerable areas, ensuring reliable power, and public health measures to reduce heat-related illnesses.”