Unusual heat scorches Bangladesh as April’s consecutive heatwave breaks 76-year record

Bangladesh’s unprecedented heatwave, which scorched the country for 24 days in April, has left a trail of devastation in its wake and farmers are bearing the brunt of the impact. The heatwave shattered a 76-year record for the most consecutive days of scorching temperatures. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) confirmed the grim milestone on April 26, 2024. 

With temperatures soaring past 40 degrees Celsius, crucial crops have wilted and yields are expected to plummet.

The prolonged heatwave has scorched ripe chillies, pulses, sunflowers, almonds and paddy crops, among others. This reporter visited Fatehpur village, 259 kilometres south of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh and found farmer Abdul Barek Howlader (65) diligently working in his field. 

While there is little hope of recovering the investment, Howlader was trying to salvage as much as he could. His skin turned a coppery hue from the intense heat, he had to take breaks to rest under a tree before returning to the field.

Howlader’s livelihood relies solely on agriculture, so when crops are ruined, he faces financial loss and must resort to loans to make ends meet. Unfortunately, he experiences these setbacks almost seasonally due to various natural disasters. Last year, a severe heatwave prevented paddy from growing during the monsoon due to insufficient irrigation water.

“Agriculture sustains us, but natural disasters jeopardise its sustainability. I suffer losses from drought, heavy rain, salinity, cyclones, floods, and other challenges when growing crops. Yet, there’s no support to help us through these crises, so my debt keeps rising,” said the farmer.

Other farmers in the region like Abdur Rahim (60) and Mubarak Hossain (50) from neighbouring villages have also been affected by the severe heatwave. The lack of irrigation water and relentless heat has dried up their fields.

The situation in the south mirrors the drought-prone northern part of the country. Farmers in Barkatpur village, part of Charghat upazila (sub-district) in Rajshahi district, 253 kilometres from Dhaka, have experienced poor yields of boro paddy this year. The extreme heat and lack of rain and irrigation caused the paddy to fail in many areas.

Public life in turmoil due to severe heat

Mobarak Hossain, a marginal farmer, grows all types of Rabi crops to support his family of five. “We rely on our harvest for the whole year and sell any surplus. However, this year, the lack of rain and the heat has led to reduced crop production, and costs are increasing. Natural disasters repeatedly threaten my livelihood,” said Hossain.

The severe heatwave has also disrupted the lives of labourers, rickshaw pullers and fishermen — anyone who works outdoors. The daily wage earners, in particular, face severe livelihood crises. Many have resorted to working at night to avoid the heat of the day, while many poor families struggle to procure food. 

A research paper published in January 2024 reported that Bangladesh has been significantly impacted by extreme heatwaves. These climate events, particularly their effect on food systems, pose serious risks to human health.

Heat warnings were issued five times in Bangladesh this year, an unprecedented occurrence. Some schools had to close for several days due to the heat, forcing children to miss out on education. Charity organisation Save the Children reported that over 33 million kids were out of the classroom, illustrating how the acute effects of climate change are threatening children’s rights.

The severe heat has disrupted agriculture, education and other aspects of life. Each year, there’s a shortage of drinking water during the dry season, but this year, the problem is even worse. Water reservoirs have dried up, leaving many people without enough water for basic needs like bathing, while obtaining drinking water has become an arduous task. The south-western part of Bangladesh has been hit hardest by this crisis.

M Zakir Hossain Khan, chief executive of the non-governmental research organisation Change Initiative, stated, “Bangladesh experienced severe heatwaves this year, an unusual occurrence. It’s especially challenging for marginalised groups. Extreme heat and cold should be classified as disasters, with corresponding preventive measures in place. Marginal workers, slum dwellers, and rural labourers should receive additional support, such as social security benefits and corporate social responsibility aid,” he said.

This April was hot since beginning

This year, the unusually hot weather has scorched Bangladesh. Although the country faced extreme heat in April 2023, this year’s temperatures surpassed those of the previous year. 

Since April 1, 2024, much of Bangladesh has been under a heatwave for 30 consecutive days, the longest stretch since 1948. Fifteen people have died from heatstroke this year.

Zoom Earth map showing heatwave in South Asia. On April 30, 2024, the highest temperature in Bangladesh was 43.7°C Celsius.

Meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallick from BMD has been studying heatwaves for a long time. “After analysing the data since 1948, we found that we have never seen a heatwave like this before. This year, we’ve broken a 76-year record,” he said.

Sources from BMD indicated that April 2024 had been consistently hot from its first day. Among the country’s 64 districts, including Dhaka, 21 districts experienced dangerously high temperatures. On 20 days in April, temperatures exceeded 40°C, with some days reaching 42.8°C, 42.7°C, 42.6°C and 42.4°C. 

The department predicted a slight decrease in temperatures at the start of May, but they may rise again.

Professor AKM Saiful Islam, director of Institute of Water and Flood Management at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and a member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), remarked, “From the beginning of April, the temperature rises in the country. Global forecast models also predicts increase of 50-70 per cent more temperature in May. We have been experiencing record breaking extreme heatwave lately.”

Both global warming and El Niño would effects this record breaking extreme events in Bangladesh and many countries of South Asia, he said.

“Global temperature has risen by 1.3°C since the pre-industrial era. Without rapid and deep reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, global temperature will rise by about 3°C which will cause serious impacts on the health, agriculture, water, energy and many sectors of the country,” he said.