Air pollution cuts life expectancy in Bangladesh by average 4.8 years: Report

Dhaka: Bangladesh is the world's most polluted country, and fine particulate air pollution shortens the average Bangladeshi's life expectancy by 4.8 years, according to a new global report released on Wednesday.

The report released by the Air Quality Life Index said that because of pollution, the average person in Bangladesh lives 4.8 years less than they would if the air were as clean as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends, the United News of Bangladesh reported.

Some areas of Bangladesh fare much worse than others, such as the Gazipur and Narsingdi districts near the capital Dhaka, where air pollution is shortening lives by more than six years, Xinhua news agency reported.

Bangladesh's 166.4 million people live in areas where the annual average particulate pollution level exceeds the WHO guideline, and 96.8 per cent of the country's population live in regions that do not meet the country's national standard of 35 micrograms per cubic metre.

Even in the least polluted district of northeastern 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 two years and child and maternal malnutrition takes off 1.4 years.

In 2022, particulate pollution was 22 per cent lower relative to 2021 -- a contrast to the increasing trend between 2015 and 2021.

If the reduction in 2022 is sustained, an average Bangladeshi resident will live one year longer compared to what they would if they were exposed to the average pollution levels over the last decade.

If Bangladesh were to reduce particulate pollution to meet the WHO guideline, residents in Dhaka -- the most populous district in Bangladesh -- would gain 5.6 years of life expectancy.