Air pollution has evolved into a major public health crisis in Bangladesh. A recent study conducted by Jahangirnagar University reveals that approximately 88,240 people suffer premature deaths annually across six major cities due to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, pollution.
This translates to an average of nearly 242 deaths every day attributed to air pollution.
The findings were presented at a press conference held at the university's Department of Public Health on Wednesday (July 15).
The research team was led by Dr. Md. Sakhawat Hossain, Chairman of the Department of Public Health and Informatics.
Economic and Health Impact
The study highlights the severe economic and health toll caused by poor air quality:
Economic Loss: Air pollution causes an annual loss of approximately $23 billion USD—equivalent to about 2.8 trillion BDT—which represents nearly 5% of the country's total GDP.
Mortality Breakdown: Among the total annual deaths linked to air pollution:
- 37,519 deaths were caused by heart disease.
- 8,344 deaths were caused by respiratory diseases.
- 811 deaths were caused by lung cancer.
Regional Variations
The study highlighted significant disparities across the six surveyed cities:
Highest Impact: Dhaka recorded the highest mortality, with approximately 68,703 deaths.
Lowest Impact: Barishal recorded the fewest, with 1,395 deaths.
