Climate Rights International 344d ago

Bangladesh: Extreme Heat Threatens the Lives and Livelihoods of Workers Governments, Companies Failing to Ensure Safe Work Amid Climate Crisis (Dhaka, July 22, 2025) – Extreme heat driven by the human-induced climate emergency is endangering the lives and livelihoods of urban workers in Bangladesh, Climate Rights International said in a new report published today. Inside garment factories, on construction sites, and in the middle of city streets, workers are fainting, falling ill, and even dying in extreme temperatures, with little protection from the government, employers, or the multinational corporations that profit from their labor. “The clothes we wear every day, including the ones you’re wearing right now, may have been sewn by someone who collapsed or lost consciousness on the job, cried from exhaustion, or suffered long-term health consequences from working in an unbearably hot and humid factory without access to cooling or safe drinking water for hydration,” said Brad Adams, Executive Director at Climate Rights International. “Clothing brands and the factories that supply them need to take urgent steps to provide additional breaks, access to cooling, and hydration.” The 172-page report, “My Body Is Burning”: Climate Change, Extreme Heat, and Labor Rights in Bangladesh, exposes a crisis unfolding at the intersection of climate change and labor exploitation. Climate Rights International interviewed over 50 workers across three of the most heat-exposed industries in Dhaka, all of whom described suffering from a range of heat-related health problems – including dehydration, itchiness, headaches, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of muscle control, temporary vision loss, chest pain, heart palpitations, and loss of consciousness. The report documents the experiences of garment, construction, and transportation workers in Dhaka suffering from extreme heat – recounting stories in their own words – and shows how systemic labor rights abuses are making it almost impossible for these workers to protect themselves. (Please see the Appendix for quotes from workers.) Though China, the U.S., Gulf States, and European countries are primarily responsible for the emissions that have fueled the climate crisis, Bangladesh is among the countries hardest hit by its impacts. The capital, Dhaka, is uniquely vulnerable to heat impacts and has experienced record-breaking temperatures in recent years. In 2025, the heat index in Dhaka reached almost 48°C (around 118°F), triggering a city-wide health advisory. “Bangladesh is being hit hard by extreme heat resulting from a climate emergency it did almost nothing to cause,” said Adams. “This crisis is being driven by the relentless greenhouse gas pollution of wealthy, industrialized countries, and fossil fuel companies – while frontline communities, including those in international supply chains, are left to suffer, with the fewest resources to cope. This is climate injustice in a nutshell.”