Bangladesh, July 31 -- Extreme heat cost Bangladesh an estimated US$1.3-1.8 billion in lost productivity in 2024, equivalent to 0.3-0.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), with the impact expected to worsen as temperatures continue to rise, according to a new World Bank report.

Advertisement The losses increase sharply on days when temperatures exceed 37 C, the report, titled "A Livable Future: Protecting Jobs and Growth from Extreme Heat in South Asia's Cities", said on Thursday.

According to the report, the impact of extreme heat is most severe in the capital, Dhaka, where heat stress renders around 3.0 per cent of annual working hours unworkable, effectively eliminating the equivalent of 465,000 full-time jobs each year.

It p...