In search of heatwave

T S Eliot’s masterpiece The Waste Land (published in December 1922) begins with this line – April is the cruellest month.

After100 years that has become environmentally true. Global warming is nothing new but it is an undeniable fact that summers are getting gradually hotter. April 2022 had the highest temperature during 122 years.

Apart from Eliot, our Bengalee poet, king of laughter Sukumar Roy has written –

Body is wrapped with hot shirt

Burning back becomes picket,

The king orders to drop the rain

Otherwise there is no gain.

Not only the king of Abol Tabol (nonsense rhyme) but at present same is the situation to all from Teknaf to Tentulia (also the whole world). The threat of global warming is now evident everywhere. Attention is required to search for the source of this heat.

In this situation, a question naturally arises. In the context of global warming and climate change, there are various policies for sustainable development but have heat wave and other climate-related issues been given importance in policy-making? Overall, researchers did not find its reflection in practice. But it is clear from meteorological data that the amount of burning in summer is increasing every year.

Temperature in Dhaka was recorded. 40.6 degrees Celsius on last 16th April, the hottest day in Dhaka during last 58 years. Temperature in Jessore and Chuadanga was 41.8 degrees Celsius on the same day. The highest temperature of Bangladesh was recorded in Chuadanga for 15 consecutive days. The maximum temperature was recorded at 42.2 degree Celsius on 15th April. Earlier record shows that the maximum temperature recorded at Chuadanga was 43.2 degrees Celsius on 21st May, 2014. In such heatwave production of mango and rice declines. All types of cultivation, including vegetable fields, are feared to be disrupted. Meanwhile, number of child patients in hospital is increasing every day. According to newspaper report, 15 persons died due to heat stroke during last two years. Situation in India is more serious. 11persons died from heatstroke in an official prize giving ceremony in Maharastra last month.

Bangladesh meteorologist Mohammad Tariful Newaz Kabir said that in 1965 the maximum temperature of Dhaka reached 42 degrees Celsius. Earlier in 1960 it was 42.3 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature recorded in Rajshahi was 45.1 degrees Celsius on 18th May, 1975. That is the record in Bangladesh so far. A study by the Department of Architecture of BUET showed that average temperature in Dhaka is 4-6 degrees Celsius higher than in areas with trees and water bodies. Moreover, due to gradually increasing use of air conditioners temperature outside the building rises. According to Meteorological Department, temperature of Dhaka has increased more than 1½ times compared to other places in the country during last 100 years.

Environmentalists say that indiscriminate development and construction work are the main causes of warming. Dhaka (and other places) is a glaring example of it. As more people are moving to Dhaka pressure on its environment is increasing. Construction has increased in a small space to accommodate many people. Construction sector has gone almost doubled in last twenty years. Amount of green space has alarmingly decreased. In many places cutting down century-old trees in the name of expansion of road is a common sight.

Construction is also going on by destroying green or filling swamp land. Due to increase of multi-storied buildings heat refraction is increasing. Walls of lime and brick-dust and windows of wooden Venetian blind are now obsolete. Now concrete, steel, glass, aluminium are reigning and heat is continuously increasing. When the maximum daytime temperature is 40 degrees, temperature of heated building structures is 1½ - 2 times more which takes a long time to become normal. So, burning of the sun continues also at night. Increasing construction structures is blocking the normal flow of air. Not only upper class, air-conditioners have entered into middle class houses. The house is temporarily cooling but blast of outgoing hot air is heating environment. Cities are now like insulated islands.

According to experts, an ideal city requires 20 per cent-25 per cent road of its total area whereas Dhaka has only 7 per cent-8 per cent. Professor Shamsul Haque of BUET says that this amount is very insufficient for around 2 crore people (Channel I, 10-4-2022). Traffic density is very high and movement of vehicles is slow. Traffic congestion is creating particle pollution (particulate matter PM 2.5, PM 10 and nitrogen dioxide NO2.) and coarse particles carry toxic heat. Air pollution caused by nearby industries is severely damaging the ozone-layer which acts as protector of the atmosphere. Reaching surface harmful ultraviolet ray is heating everything.

A research of Bangladesh Institute of Planners shows that in 1999 open space in Dhaka was 14 per cent. Now it is only 4.61 per cent. The amount of green area was 9.2 per cent in 2019 which has decreased by about 38 per cent percent in 20 years. As reported in a local newspaper, Dhaka South City Corporation has cut down 563 trees in the name of beautification in Dhanmondi. Many trees in other places have been cut down by different organisations. As a result greenery in the city is decreasing, temperature is rising. According to international standard 25 per cent percent of a city's should be covered with greenery whereas Dhaka has only 8 per cent percent. In the name of development protectors are sawing even that 8 per cent. Rainfall is associated with trees. Where there is green, there is biodiversity. Road dividers have been made smaller by cutting these trees. Except flower plants large trees cannot be planted there. However, DSCC Mayor said that cutting trees is very sad but we only do it when there is absolutely no other way. According to him 3 trees will be planted against 1 tree felled. Critics say that it is not a solution because a plant takes around 20-5 years to e get matured. During this time situation will turn terribly worse.

Environmentalists have repeatedly said that climate change cannot be completely prevented but it is possible to slow down the pace of change. Countries of the world have repeatedly attended climate summits, negotiated and tussled with policy but still there is huge deficiency. This calamity, however, has opened another route for us i.e. coordinating with neighboring countries through climate-diplomacy crossing geographical boundaries.

The writer is a former Commissioner of Taxes. He can be contacted at chinmayprasunbiswas@yahoo.com