Climate change escalates Dhaka dengue situation: WB study

Dhaka city dwellers are embracing growing anxiety and the dengue menace as the negative consequences of climate change, a recent study by the World Bank has revealed.

The study findings were unveiled in a webinar on Thursday.

According to the study, Dhaka witnessed heavy rainfalls in February of 2019, a rear event in last 45 years. Excess rainfalls were recorded in the following months too. Moisture in the environment eventually caused mosquito menace, leaving many people died of dengue at the time.

Dengue is a viral fever and spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. Dengue goes by other name ‘break-bone fever’ as victims of dengue often have contortions due to the intense pain in the joints, muscles, and bones.

Record number of people in Bangladesh were infected and died of dengue in 2019. According to news reports by Prothom Alo and other media outlets, around 300 dengue patients succumbed to the fever in that year.

However, official record said 179 died of dengue. With the death toll of 73, this year has so far seen the second highest dengue deaths in last 18 years.

According to World Bank study, 16 per cent of Bangladesh people are suffering from depression and six per cent from anxiety. There is interrelation between the climate change and people’s depression and anxiety.

Parliament member Saber Hossain Chowdhury, who participated in the webinar, termed the World Bank study as crucial. He said such research findings would play significant role in policy formulation.

Climate change expert Saleemul Huq said Bangladeshi researchers could contribute a little to the climate change-related international studies. The scenario must be changed.