Challenges of Urban Governance in Heatwave Mitigation and Adaptation: A Study on Rajshahi City Corporation

Urban areas in developing countries like Bangladesh are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme heatwaves due to rapid urbanization, climate change, and inadequate governance mechanisms. This study explores the challenges of urban governance in mitigating the effects of heatwaves in selected city corporations of Bangladesh, with a particular focus on Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), which has frequently recorded some of the highest temperatures in the country. Drawing on both primary data collected from 300 residents and key informant interviews with relevant city officials, the research identifies institutional, infrastructural, and financial barriers to effective heatwave govemance. Findings reveal a significant gap between policy formulation and implementation, lack of coordination among relevant departments, limited public awareness campaigns, and inadequate early warning and emergency response systems. Furthermore, poor urban planning, insufficient green spaces, and inefficient resource allocation exacerbate heatwave vulnerabilities, particularly among low-income populations. The study highlights the limited engagement of local communities and the absence of data-driven forecasting and response strategies. Based on the findings, the paper suggests strengthening inter-agency collaboration, enhancing institutional capacity, incorporating heat-resilient infrastructure, and promoting forecast-based financing (FbF) to improve preparedness and adaptive capacity. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on climate resilience and urban governance in the Global South and offers practical policy recommendations to build heat-resilient cities in Bangladesh and similar contexts. Keywords: Urban Governance; Heatwave Mitigation; Climate Resilience; Rajshahi City Corporation; Forecast-Based Financing (FbF)