A nationally representative study by the World Bank and Georgetown University found that higher temperatures were associated with greater suicide risk in Bangladesh, though it does not prove heat directly causes suicide.

Analyzing two survey rounds involving 7,492 people, researchers found the association began at 28°C (82°F) and was strongest at 35°C (95°F).

The research addresses gaps in earlier studies, which linked temperature broadly with self-harm but offered less evidence about risk thresholds or the pathways connecting heat and mental health.

At 35°C, poor sleep quality accounted for 29.5% of the association between heat and suicide risk, while difficulty regulating emotions accounted for 1.8%; researchers suggest heat may disrupt restorative sleep and leave people less able to manage distress.

The association was stronger in summer and among poorer and less-educated populations, pointing to differences in vulnerability linked to social and economic conditions.

For prevention, researchers suggested monitoring heatwaves alongside signs of sleep disruption, protecting sleep, improving access to household cooling, and offering community-based emotional regulation support.

Future research could assess affordable cooling, home designs that reduce nighttime heat, and behavioral interventions, while expanding longitudinal studies in other low-resource regions and integrating mental health into climate-resilience plans and early-warning systems.