About the Event
𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭: 𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐚 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭–𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡
Recognising extreme heat as a growing public health challenge in Bangladesh’s urban areas, a national workshop on the 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭–𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 was held in Dhaka on 26 January 2026.
The workshop was attended by 𝐌𝐫 𝐌𝐝. 𝐑𝐞𝐳𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐮𝐝 𝐙𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐢, Secretary, Local Government Division, as the Chief Guest. Special Guests included 𝐌𝐫 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐥 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐳𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐧, Project Director of the Improvement of Urban Public Health and Preventive Services Project (IUPHPSP) and Joint Secretary, Local Government Division, and 𝐌𝐬 𝐈𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐮𝐝, Senior Operations Officer, World Bank Dhaka Office.
The session was chaired by 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐮𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐲, Pro Vice-Chancellor of BRAC University.
Research findings were presented by 𝐃𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐳𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚, 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐇𝐮𝐛 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞, 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡(𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐇) and 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐛 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐯𝐨, 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐇𝐮𝐛 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞, 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 (𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐇) from the BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, who highlighted spatial analyses identifying high heat-risk areas across the country.
The presentation underscored how rapid urbanisation and the decline of green spaces are intensifying heat exposure, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and outdoor workers.
Discussions focused on evidence-based short-, medium-, and long-term adaptation measures, including urban greening initiatives, emergency cooling shelters, heat-resilient building standards, real-time heat alert systems, and the development of integrated heat–health data and early warning mechanisms. The dialogue emphasised the importance of coordinated, cross-sectoral action to strengthen Bangladesh’s preparedness for rising temperatures and future climate risks.