Air Pollution responsible for 235,000 death in a year

More than 235,000 people died in Bangladesh in one year due to air pollution.

More than 235,000 people died in Bangladesh in 2021 due to air pollution State of Global Air (SOGA)-2024 and UNICEF join report published on June 21, 2024.

Air Pollution Killed 235,000 people in Bangladesh 

The State of Global Air (SOGA) 2024 report, published by the Health Effects Institute (HEI) in collaboration with UNICEF, examines global air quality and its impact on public health. Released last Wednesday, the report highlights the dire state of air quality in Bangladesh and worldwide, emphasizing its harmful effects on health. It also points out that Bangladesh has a significant amount of ozone gas, contributing to air pollution-related diseases.

Air Pollution Children 

In the same year, global exposure to air pollution was linked to over 700,000 deaths of children under five years old, making it the second-leading risk factor for death in this age group, following malnutrition. Notably, 500,000 of these child deaths were due to household air pollution from indoor cooking with polluting fuels, primarily in Africa and Asia.
Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative to Bangladesh, stated, "The health of millions, particularly children, is at stake. Children are the most vulnerable to the detriments of poor air quality, suffering from diseases such as asthma and pneumonia. It is critical that we implement sustainable solutions to improve air quality not just for the health of our children today, but for future generations."

Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative 

Air Quality Index

Dhaka ranked as the second worst capital city worldwide for air quality, following New Delhi. The capital and most populous city of Bangladesh recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 80.2 µg/m³. This level of pollution is more than 16 times the concentration recommended by the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline.