Bushra Afreen: Working to close gap that makes heated city unlivable for women

Chief Heat Officer for Dhaka North City Bushra Afreen has said they are working to make life bearable for women in the communities with some solutions amid heatwaves.

"We are prioritizing solutions like providing drinking water at bus stops and coupling this with accessible women-friendly washrooms to ensure that women can easily find relief and safety during their daily commutes," she said in a video message.

Afreen, who attended a session as a panelist at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said this is only the beginning of their journey to counteract the threat of heat and create a sustainable and cooler future for Dhaka.

She said 2023 was the hottest year on record and last month’s heatwaves in Dhaka were longer and more intense than ever before.

Afreen said the heat felt suffocating making it too hot to breathe.

"As the chief heat officer, I have observed the impact of these temperatures on women living in informal settlements," she said.

The chief heat officer said the recent closure of schools due to the heat have left them juggling childcare alongside their works, which further marginalized them in a city which was never built for them.

"Our efforts are centered on closing the gap that makes our heated city so unlivable for women," she said.

Leading up to their heat awareness campaign, she said, they are identifying their daily greatest challenges and the risks they face during heatwaves.

Arsht-Rock, a Washington-based non-profit organization, appointed social entrepreneur Bushra Afreen as its chief heat officer who is working in Dhaka North City Corporation area.

Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre (Arsht-Rock) set out to reach one billion people worldwide with resilience solutions by 2030. 

Source: UNB