Bangladesh has once again been identified as the world’s most polluted country, with air pollution now causing a greater reduction in life expectancy than tobacco use, malnutrition, or unsafe water.
The latest Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025, published by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) on Thursday, reveals that average life expectancy in Bangladesh could increase by 5.5 years if the country’s particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution met the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
According to the report, all 166.8 million Bangladeshis live in areas where particulate pollution exceeds both the WHO guideline and the national standard of 35 μg/m³.
Even in Lalmonirhat, the least polluted district in the country, air pollution levels are seven times higher than the WHO limit.
The health impact of air pollution in Bangladesh is stark: it reduces life expectancy by nearly three times more than child and maternal malnutrition (1.4 years) and more than twice the years lost due to tobacco use (2 years).
The toll is especially severe in Bangladesh’s largest cities.
In Dhaka, where annual PM2.5 averages 76.4 μg/m³, residents could gain 6.9 years of life if clean air standards were met, while Chittagong residents stand to gain 6.2 years.
Even meeting the national pollution limit would add several years to residents’ life expectancy in these cities.
Industrial districts such as Gazipur and Narayanganj, known for brick kilns, textile factories, and dense traffic, remain among the most polluted zones.
The report highlights a 66% rise in particulate pollution over the last 25 years, cutting 2.4 years off average life expectancy since 1998.
In contrast, China’s aggressive pollution control measures since 2014 have lowered PM2.5 levels by over 40%, adding 1.8 years to life expectancy.
Despite Bangladesh’s Air Pollution Control Rules introduced in 2022, enforcement has been weak.
Key measures like phasing out brick kilns and stricter emission standards are yet to be fully implemented.
Vehicle emissions and expanding industrial hubs remain largely uncontrolled, with environmentalists criticizing the lack of integration of air quality in national economic planning.
South Asia continues to be the most polluted region globally, but Bangladesh faces the most severe life expectancy losses.
Residents in neighboring India, Nepal, and Pakistan also suffer reduced life spans due to pollution, though not as extensively as in Bangladesh.
In comparison, Indian residents could gain 3.5 years on average (8.2 years in Delhi), Nepalese 3.3 years, and Pakistanis 3.3 years (5.8 years in Lahore) if WHO standards were met.
The report emphasizes that clean air yields immediate, measurable health benefits, as demonstrated by global successes in pollution reduction.
Authors warn that air pollution represents Bangladesh’s biggest public health threat, and without urgent, stringent policies, its population faces shorter and more illness-ridden lives.
For millions living with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, the impact of polluted air is a daily reality.
The report urges strong government action on emissions controls, urban planning, and clean energy investments to avert further health crises linked to air pollution.
