Bangladesh Heatwave Forces 33 Million Children Out of Schools
In a scorching turn of events, searing heat has driven 33 million children out of schools in Bangladesh as temperatures skyrocketed past 42C (108F) in some regions.
Schools and colleges are set to remain closed until at least 27 April, marking the second consecutive year that such a drastic measure has been taken due to extreme weather conditions.
This decision follows similar school closures in the Philippines and India as a relentless heatwave sweeps across Asia.
Shumon Sengupta, the director of Save the Children in Bangladesh, expressed concern, stating, “Children in Bangladesh are among the poorest in the world, and heat-related school closures should raise alarms for all of us.”
The country’s weather authorities recently issued their fourth heat alert for the month, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Being a low-lying country, Bangladesh is highly susceptible to the impacts of the climate crisis. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a rise of 30 to 45 cm in sea levels could displace over 35 million people from coastal districts, accounting for about a quarter of the total population.
On a desperate quest for relief, thousands of Muslims in Bangladesh congregated in mosques and rural areas to pray for rain, highlighting the dire conditions. Islamic cleric Muhammad Abu Yusuf emphasized the suffering of the impoverished due to the lack of rain.
With the extreme heat expected to persist for at least another week, hospitals and clinics have been put on high alert to accommodate a surge in patients suffering from heat-related illnesses such as fever and headache.
Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen has instructed facilities to be prepared for treating heatstroke cases by admitting patients to air-conditioned wards.
Save the Children’s Sengupta urged leaders to take immediate action to address rising temperatures and prioritize vulnerable children in decision-making processes and climate finance.
Unicef has issued a warning that more than 243 million children across East Asia and the Pacific are at risk of heat-related illnesses and fatalities, with newborns and infants being particularly vulnerable.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s capital Bangkok faces a looming threat as city officials caution that the heat index is expected to reach an “extremely dangerous” level, fueling concerns over heat-related fatalities.
As countries in Asia grapple with extreme weather events, it is evident that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and severity of such calamities, posing significant challenges to societies, economies, and the environment.
