Bangladesh is the world鈥檚 most polluted country and fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) shortens the average Bangladeshi resident鈥檚 life expectancy by 4.8 years, relative to what it would be if the World Health Organisation guideline of 5 碌g/m鲁 was met, says a new global report released on Wednesday.
Some areas of Bangladesh fare much worse than others, such as the Gazipur and Narsingdi districts, where air pollution is shortening lives by more than 6 years, it said.
All of Bangladesh鈥檚 166.4 million people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds both the WHO guideline and 96.8 per cent of the country鈥檚 population live in regions that don鈥檛 meet the country鈥檚 own national standard of 35 碌g/m鲁. Even in the least polluted district of Sylhet, particulate pollution is 6.7 times the WHO guideline.
While particulate pollution takes 4.8 years off the life of the average Bangladeshi, tobacco use takes off 2 years and child and maternal malnutrition takes off 1.4 years.
In 2022, particulate pollution was 22 per cent lower relative to 2021鈥攁 contrast to the increasing trend between 2015-2021. If the reduction in 2022 is sustained, an average Bangladeshi resident would live 1 year longer compared to what they would if they were exposed to the average pollution levels over the last decade.
In some of the most polluted districts of the country spread across the states of Dhaka and Chittagong, 75.9 million residents or 45.6 per cent of Bangladesh鈥檚 population are on track to lose 5.4 years of life expectancy on average relative to the WHO guideline.
If Bangladesh were to reduce particulate pollution to meet the WHO guideline, residents in Dhaka鈥攖he most populous district in Bangladesh鈥攚ould gain 5.6 years of life expectancy. In Chittagong鈥攖he country鈥檚 second most populous district鈥攔esidents would gain 5.2 years. Even if pollution levels in Dhaka and Chittagong were to meet Bangladesh鈥檚 national standard, life expectancy in these districts would increase by 2.6 and 2.3 years, respectively.