“Workers in Bangladesh Lose $4.1 Billion in Annual Wages Due to Extreme Heat”

By Bhanu Ranjan Chakraborty
DHAKA: Bangladesh loses approximately 1.18 billion workdays annually due to reduced work capacity and heat-related illnesses caused by severe heatwaves or extreme heat. Consequently, workers lose about $4.1 billion in wages each year.

This information emerged from a joint study conducted by the UK-based research organization International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU)—specifically through the Migrant Worker Development Program (OKUP).

The recently published report, titled “Too Hot to Work, Too Poor to Rest,” reveals that a worker performing outdoor tasks loses an average of 23.7 workdays annually due to extreme heat, while an indoor worker loses 13.5 workdays. This results in an average annual wage loss of $148.9 for outdoor workers and $89.1 for indoor workers.

The study surveyed 175 worker families within Dhaka’s informal sector. Of these, 122 families were engaged in outdoor labor—such as construction, roadwork, and rickshaw pulling—while the remaining 53 were involved in indoor work, such as the garment industry.

The income of these workers depends largely on daily attendance and productivity. Ritu Bharadwaj, a director at IIED, stated, “When a worker’s pace slows down due to the heat, they are the ones who silently bear the resulting financial loss.”

The risks associated with heat are not limited to immediate financial losses; they also pose long-term health hazards. Approximately 23 percent of the surveyed workers reported suffering from kidney-related issues. Researchers estimate that if the loss in productivity due to chronic kidney disease is added to the direct wage loss of $4.1 billion caused by heatwaves, the total financial loss rises to approximately $6.22 billion.

Commenting on the impact of extreme heat on workers, Monowar Hossain, a senior Dhaka-based economic journalist, said, “It is the industrial owners who can create a proper working environment for workers—one that safeguards both their productivity and their health. To ensure such sustainable measures, owners must be willing to accept some initial costs or financial setbacks.”

In this regard, environmental journalist and researcher Mostafa Kamal Majumder stated, “Effective measures must be taken to lower workplace temperatures and alleviate the suffering of workers caused by excessive heat.

Factory roofs should be built higher than usual to facilitate adequate airflow. Furthermore, materials with low thermal conductivity should be used for roofing instead of corrugated iron sheets.”

He added, “Ensuring access to safe drinking water, lemon sherbet, and fruit is essential for protecting workers’ health. This would significantly reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.”

Experts Urge Creation of Proper Working Environments for Laborers