Heat stress strains Bangladesh’s BPO sector
DHAKA, BANGLADESH — The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in Bangladesh is experiencing major productivity loss due to the ongoing power crisis and heatwave in the country.
Temperatures in the capital city, Dhaka, had already reached its 58-year-high of 40.6 degrees Celsius. Extended power cuts and insufficient cooling systems in workplaces are also resulting in severe “heat stress” for residents and employees.
The power crisis, termed a “living hell” by the workers, left many IT and BPO workers grappling with high levels of exhaustion and stress.
According to a 2022 report by the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, “heat stress” alone could result in losses exceeding 8% of Dhaka’s annual output, potentially increasing to 10% by 2050.
Employees like Nawshin Khan, a strategist at Dhaka-based outsourcing firm Datacrete, said he has difficulties staying awake and alert at work due to the intense heat and lack of electricity.
The situation also triggered additional overhead costs as companies resorted to buying generators and diesel to maintain basic functioning.
Despite the mounting challenges, the BPO sector in Bangladesh, home to around 70,000 workers, continues to grow.
However, the persistent heatwave and power crisis could hinder future job creation and potentially stall the economic progress of the sector.
Experts added that the ongoing crisis underlines the urgent need for sustainable cooling solutions and green policies in Bangladesh to ensure equitable access to cooling for employees.
