Climate crisis poses mounting threat to labour, health, economy: Experts

Experts said at a roundtable in Dhaka on Monday that the climate crisis has become a critical policy challenge for labour, public health and the economy.

Organised on the occasion of World Environment Day 2026, the discussion warned that without effective adaptation measures, the country’s ready-made garment sector – and the broader regional industry – could suffer export losses of nearly US$65 billion and forfeit around one million potential jobs by 2030.

The event, titled “Climate Crisis and the Future of Work: Journey Towards a Sustainable and Just Bangladesh”, was jointly organised by the National Alliance for Just Transition Bangladesh (NAJTB) and the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) Programme at the National Press Club.

Delivering the keynote, Md Zubaer Alam, programme officer of the Bangladesh Labour Foundation (BLF), said Bangladesh endured one of the longest and most severe heatwaves in its recorded history in 2024, with temperatures topping 43 degrees Celsius in parts of the country.

This year, temperatures across most regions have remained above 39 degrees Celsius.

He further noted that the World Meteorological Organization had placed an 80% probability on the return of El Niño conditions between June and August 2026, which could intensify heatwaves and extreme weather episodes.

“Extreme temperatures, electricity shortages and unplanned urbanisation are forcing working people into highly hazardous conditions,” Zubaer said, pointing to rising incidences of dehydration, heatstroke, dizziness, fainting and kidney complications among workers.

Studies cited in the keynote indicate that heat-related health risks already cost Bangladesh nearly 250 million working hours each year, translating to economic losses of approximately US$1.78 billion – equivalent to roughly 0.4% of GDP.

The roundtable was chaired by Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, executive coordinator of NAJTB.

Nurul Amin of the Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad, Sohanur Rahman of YouthNet Global and Raisul Islam Khan of BLF Bangladesh also spoke.