C T Online Desk: The intense heat wave over the past few days has caused anguish and discomfort to people all across Bangladesh.
In the 24 hours till Monday, Dinajpur recorded the highest temperature of the country at 41.1°C.
Dhaka is not far behind, grappling with a moderate heat wave. The city’s current temperature is fluctuating between 39 and 40°C.
A study by Australia’s Curtin University has projected that Dhaka’s temperature may surge by 5°C in the coming 20 years.
Given the current temperature’s distressing effects on city inhabitants, a further increase of 5°C within two decades could potentially push temperatures to a blistering 46°C.
The burning question remains: If no measures are taken to curb the rising temperatures, how will Dhaka sustain its habitability?
Plastic as a significant regulator of temperature increase
Over the past century, there has been a 1°C rise in the earth’s temperature – a trend that environmental experts find deeply troubling.
This surge in temperature has triggered a chain reaction, initiating the melting of the polar ice caps at both ends of the earth.
This, in turn, has led to a noticeable rise in sea levels, putting countries such as Bangladesh in grave danger.
Environmentalists say a significant regulator of this temperature increase is plastic.
Despite observing World Environment Day under the slogan, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, both the government’s regulatory efforts and citizens’ willingness to abstain from plastic usage remain insufficient in Bangladesh, including its capital Dhaka.
As a result, the temperature in the whole country is continuously rising.
The study also mentioned that if the rate at which the temperature is increasing in various cities of Bangladesh continues, five major cities, including the capital Dhaka, will become uninhabitable in the next few years.
Researchers believe that if the current trend is not controlled, the difference between day and night temperatures in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi — these four divisional cities — will decrease, resulting in a constant feeling of heat.
Air pollution alongside plastic responsible for heatwave
A study by the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) reveals that air pollution, in addition to plastic, is responsible for climate change, which is causing the ongoing severe heat wave across the country.
Dust particles and polluted gases possess the capacity to absorb heat. As a result, dust particles and gaseous substances in the highly polluted air are absorbing solar heat, playing a role in creating a heat flow.
Additionally, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide contribute to the temperature increase.
