Natural disasters may hit country after heatwaves

“2023 was the warmest year in earths history.  Meteorologists fear that this years heat will surpass last year. In several districts of Bangladesh, the mercury in the thermometer has already risen above the maximum of 43 degrees Celsius. These are direct results of climate change. Since the beginning of industrialization, humans have been burning fossil fuels creating carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere, warming the atmosphere”

At the beginning of Baisakh, people and animals are grappling with intense heat. Day by day, the situation of the burning sun is gradually causing heat strokes. According to Met office forecast, this situation will prevail till May this week. To get relief from the heat, people and animals run to the shade, looking for some cool air.

Since a mild to moderate heat wave has been flowing over large areas of the country including the capital, the severe heat is experienced in Dhaka. This is mainly caused by unplanned urbanization and due to manifold increase of air condition use, rapid loss of green-blue space, filling of water reservoirs, construction of huge high-rise buildings and increased industrial activities.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) had issued a countrywide heat alert for the fourth time for 48 hours starting on Friday. In this latest alert, Meteorologist Md Omar Faruq said: "The prevailing heatwave over Khulna, Rangpur, Rajshahi divisions, and the western parts of Dhaka division may continue for 48 hours commencing from Friday.Due to increased moisture incursion, the discomfort may increase, said the message.

BMD has also predicted rains or thunder showers in parts of the country, including Dhaka. Besides, mild to moderate heat wave may continue in Dhaka and in the five other divisions during the period.

According to Met Office sources, mild to moderate heat waves are passing over the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Churadanga, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions.

In some parts of the northern region, the temperature crossed 43 degrees. The ongoing mild to moderate heat wave may continue for the next few days and temperatures may rise further. Excess water vapor can also increase discomfort.

At least, 15 people have died in the last few days. In this situation, the Department of Meteorology has asked people not to leave their homes unnecessarily. And if you need to leave the house in an emergency, it is advised to take an umbrella.

Basically, due to the adverse effects of climate change and increasing carbon emissions in the air, the atmosphere is heating up, and the surface is also heating up. Due to this, environment and climate experts believe that the situation of heat stoke is prevailing across the country. They said that the situation is deteriorating due to the reduction of green belts, forests, trees, and open water bodies in the whole country including Dhaka.

In such a situation, increasing the capacity to deal with adverse climate is the demand of the time. But there is no effective initiative to ensure that the mountains, nature, rivers, and rivers are kept in a normal state, reducing the use of open water bodies, trees, forest creation to a greater extent. We must not forget that nature has its own rules. Nature often takes revenge as humans continue to encroach on nature, destroy forest trees, cut mountains, and destroy open water bodies.

In the evolution of time, the world has gone through many changes to reach the present. Humans have lived only two and a half million years on the earth which is about four and a half billion years old. After that, human beings are the only living creatures on this planet through technological development. Also, since people are inclined towards luxury and comfort, the industrial age gradually begins.

At the same time, the amount of greenhouse gases in the earths atmosphere began to increase. Of course, as much as people are getting used to technology-dependent, industry-dependent, more consumerist, more luxurious life, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere is increasing. In recent years, as the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere has increased, nature has also started to behave adversely. Especially since the beginning of 2021, the weather of the whole world has become turbulent. Right now, people in many countries of the world have to burn in terrible fires, and in some parts of the world experience storms and floods and heavy snowfalls. Such hostile behavior of global weather is largely man-made.

2023 was the warmest year in earths history.  Meteorologists fear that this years heat will surpass last year. In several districts of Bangladesh, the mercury in the thermometer has already risen above the maximum of 43 degrees Celsius. These are direct results of climate change. Since the beginning of industrialization, humans have been burning fossil fuels creating carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere, warming the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane block the suns heating of the Earths atmosphere. That heat is not distributed evenly all over the world, resulting in such unusual and blocked weather patterns. From time to time there are floods, no rain, cyclones, floods, etc.

Natural disasters caused by climate change have also hit Bangladesh several times in the past few years. Meteorologists fear that in the coming years, natural disasters will take a severe form in Bangladesh as well as in the whole world. While the temperature may drop slightly during storms, other sufferings increase manifold. During the floods caused by monsoons or heavy rains, various sub-tropical regions including the capital are submerged in water. The method of how people can be adapted to this situation must be developed. In addition, planting more trees by reducing the use of fossil fuels, and creating water bodies can be considered a way to keep the earth cool.

The writer is a journalist and General Secretary, Bangladesh Climate Change Journalists Forum.