Since October 2023, Save the Children, in collaboration with RIMES and MJSKS, has executed a project under the Humanitarian
Fund titled ‘El Niño Anticipatory Actions to Drought and Heatwave in Bangladesh.’ Both these upazilas are susceptible to heatwave and drought; while drought adversely impacts food security, heatwaves severely affect the health of community members, particularly those employed in outdoor jobs. This can lead to socio-economic challenges, lower agricultural production, and a heightened demand for resources such as electricity.

The objectives of this assessment are to:

• Assess the existing situation of the local community through the lens of their economic and social well-being;
• Identify the effectiveness of the early warning system and quantify the loss minimized through the initiatives taken;
• Identify the impact on agriculture, livestock, and relevant sectors from the context of the community; and
• Ensure that people’s fatalities, health illnesses, and economic losses are reduced by taking timely and effective early actions against the impacts of heat stress.

This report was developed through the joint efforts of Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), Save the Children, and Mahideb Jubo Somaj Kallayan Somity (MJSKS).