Heat exhausts Bangladesh's textile workers amid power cuts

Bangladesh's vital textile industry is facing a crisis as extreme heat and rolling power outages cripple production, impacting thousands of workers. Factories, particularly smaller ones, are struggling to maintain essential cooling systems like fans due to frequent electricity cuts, forcing workers to endure suffocating temperatures.

Temperatures in the industrial belt around the capital, Dhaka, have reached 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit) with high humidity, coinciding with the country's hottest season. This oppressive heat is taking a severe toll on the workforce. "With such oppressive heat, many workers are falling ill, experiencing heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, cramps, and fainting," said Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity.

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With such oppressive heat, many workers are falling ill, experiencing heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, cramps, and fainting.

The power shortages are partly attributed to disruptions in the global energy market, driven by conflict in the Middle East, which has led to increased fuel costs and supply scarcity. Bangladesh relies heavily on imports for its energy needs, making it vulnerable to such international volatility. "With the disruption in energy supply, industries are struggling to maintain production, let alone keep fans, ventilation, and cooling equipment functioning properly," noted A.K.M. Kamruzzaman, a manager at Matin Spinning Mill.

Studies highlight the severe economic consequences of heat exposure. A 2025 report from The Lancet Countdown indicated that around 29 billion potential work hours were lost in Bangladesh due to heat exposure in 2024, costing an estimated $24 billion, or about 5% of the country's GDP. A 2023 study by Cornell University's ILR Global Institute projected that the inability to mitigate heat in factories could cost the garment industry $65 billion in revenue and about a million potential jobs across South and Southeast Asia by 2030.

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With the disruption in energy supply, industries are struggling to maintain production, let alone keep fans, ventilation, and cooling equipment functioning properly.