Assessing Socio-Economic Disparities in Heat Stress Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity: A Comparative Study of Higher-Class Residents and Slum Dwellers in Dhaka

Heat stress is a serious health and economic threat to the residents of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The main causes of the increasing heat stress in Dhaka are climate change and rapid urbanization, which have resulted in a loss of green spaces and a rise in land surface temperature. The effects of heat stress are not evenly distributed among the population. The poor and vulnerable groups, such as slum dwellers, street vendors, factory workers, and women and children, are more exposed and less resilient to the extreme heat. Heat stress can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death. It can also reduce labor productivity, impair cognitive function, and exacerbate pre-existing health conditions. To address the heat stress challenge, Dhaka needs to adopt a comprehensive and coordinated approach that involves multiple stakeholders and sectors. Some of the possible solutions include increasing green spaces and urban forestry, improving building design and insulation, enhancing public awareness and education, providing cooling facilities and shelters, and developing heat action plans and early warning systems.