Although you might believe the dirtiest country in the world is located in Africa, that may not be the case.
A recent study by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute revealed that Bangladesh has the world’s most polluted air.
Bangladesh is the world’s most polluted country, owing mostly to human activities such as domestic emissions from solid fuel cooking, industrial wastewater, and irrigation water runoff.
Bangladesh has an average Particulate Matter (PM) of 2.5 level of 74 microgrammes per cubic meter, compared to India, China, and the US, which have levels of 58.7, 30.2, and 7.8, respectively.
The World Health Organisation’s 2021 Global Air Quality Guidelines provide standards for countries to meet. According to them, Bangladesh’s national average pollution results in an estimated 6.8 years of life lost for each person.
Why Bangladesh is the dirtiest country in the world
Solid fuel combustion
The regular use of solid fuels like coal and wood, particularly in rural regions, adds to indoor air pollution and impacts not only the people cooking but the country’s air quality.
Ineffective waste management
The country’s waterways are highly polluted by industrial discharge and untreated waste, including plastics and trash, which hurts the health of those who drink it. The polluted water also endangers the health of ecosystems, biodiversity, and agriculture.
Industrial effluent
Industrial activities such as wastewater from sewers or industrial outfalls, as well as agricultural practices like pesticide and fertiliser use, contribute to the worsening of soil, water, and air pollution.
Old vehicles
The majority of the cars and buses in Bangladesh have been around for many years.
Old vehicles contribute to poor air quality through incomplete fuel combustion, the release of nitrogen dioxide and other harmful air pollutants.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, 568,000 registered vehicles lacked a road fitness certificate in April 2024, up 60,000 from January 2022.
Impacts of pollution
Bangladesh faces severe environmental and health impacts from pollution, with the World Bank report revealing that air pollution, water pollution, and lead exposure cause 272,000 preventable deaths and 5.2 billion days of disease annually.
Household and outdoor air pollution are the most harmful, causing 55% of premature deaths. Lead poisoning also results in an annual loss of 20 million IQ points in children.
Perhaps the environment is influenced by the corruption and low quality of life in Bangladesh.
