Sir John Eliot, the first Meteorological Reporter to the British India in the 19th century, once observed, “The monsoon is the very life-blood of India, on which the prosperity of millions depends.” Indeed, the monsoon has long been central to life across South Asia, replenishing rivers, nourishing agriculture, and sustaining millions. Yet, in the Himalayas, the monsoon is both a blessing and a curse. It feeds the mighty rivers that flow from the mountains but, when unchecked, can swell these rivers to destructive fury.

For centuries, poets, scholars, and rulers have marveled at the South Asian monsoon. In contemporary times, however, the monsoon is increasingly becoming a death trap for Himalayan communities. Climate change, erratic rainfall, unregulated development, and glacier-induced outburst floods (GLOFs) have amplified its hazards. Western Himalayan riverine settlements—from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan through central Nepal to far-eastern Arunachal Pradesh in India brace themselves each year, aware that the monsoon may no longer be merely life-giving, but potentially lethal.

The Himalayan region has witnessed several devastating floods in recent years. In 2023, Sikkim experienced a GLOF triggered by torrential rains, killing at least 179 people and causing extensive damage along the Teesta River. In 2021, a flash flood in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, destroyed two hydroelectric projects and sent debris surging down the Dhauliganga valley, claiming over 200 lives. The 2013 Uttarakhand floods, caused by heavy monsoon rains, resulted in more than 5,700 deaths and widespread displacement. In 2010, a cloudburst in Leh triggered flash floods, killing over 200 and devastating homes and infrastructure. Other notable events include the 2020 floods in Western Nepal, particularly Myagdi District; the 2024 Thame flood in Solukhumbu District, Nepal; the 2021 Bhutan flash floods in Laya near Thimphu; and the 2022 Pakistan floods affecting the Indus River basin and northern Himalayan foothills.

The 2025 monsoon season proved exceptionally destructive across the Himalayan and northern regions of India, Nepal and Pakistan. Multiple cloudbursts triggered flash floods and landslides, resulting in widespread loss of life, displacement, and severe infrastructure damage. On 5 August 2025, Dharali village in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand was devastated by a sudden flash flood that swept away entire homes, hotels, and shops within minutes. While initial reports linked the disaster to a cloudburst, later assessments suggested that a glacial lake outburst or debris flow may also have played a role. The tragedy left five confirmed dead, with at least 66 people still missing a week after the event. Less than ten days later, on 14 August, another calamity struck when a cloudburst hit Chosoti village in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir. The ensuing flash flood claimed at least 67 lives, injured nearly 300 people, and left more than 200 missing, including pilgrims traveling along the Machail Mata Yatra route. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, the cumulative death toll from the ongoing monsoon season has risen sharply, reaching 306 fatalities.

Earlier in July 2025, a GLOF struck 36 kilometres north of the China–Nepal border along the Bhotekoshi River. Seven people were killed, 19 went missing, bridges were destroyed, and highway connectivity was disrupted, severely impacting trade in the region. Across Pakistan, between June and mid-August, flash floods claimed 706 lives. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) suffered the most, with 406 fatalities. In mid-August, cloudbursts and torrential rainfall triggered one of the deadliest disasters in recent memory, killing over 300 people, including 158 in Buner district, and prompting the declaration of emergency zones.

While intense rainfall plays a role, it is unplanned and unsustainable development in the Himalayan region that greatly amplifies disaster risks. Pilgrimage routes, tourism facilities, hotels, and commercial orchards are increasingly being constructed on flood-prone debris fans and glacial outflow zones—areas that indigenous communities had historically avoided for settlement. Traditional knowledge once guided the safe use of Himalayan riverine landscapes, reserving fertile land for agriculture while steering clear of sites vulnerable to floods and debris flows. However, the abandonment of these practices has left new settlements, unsustainable tourism, and commercial ventures far more exposed to flash floods and glacial lake outburst events.

Equally concerning is the rapid expansion of transport networks, often driven by corruption and developed without adherence to sustainable practices, environmental impact assessments, or nature-based solutions such as green corridors. As the monsoon arrives each year, these poorly planned transport corridors amplify the scale of destruction and losses, with tourism-driven infrastructure and transport development emerging as major contributors to disaster vulnerability in the Himalaya.

Another critical challenge in the Himalayas lies in transboundary water cooperation—or more precisely, its absence. In September 2016, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that “blood and water cannot flow together” in the context of cross-border terrorism. That tension resurfaced when, on 23 April 2025, following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India placed the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan in temporary suspension. Meanwhile, China is constructing the world’s largest dam in the eastern Himalaya and several others across the Hindu Kush–Himalayan region. India and Pakistan, too, are racing to establish hydroelectric projects along the Jhelum, Chenab, and other Himalayan rivers, seeking greater control over upstream flows.

This competition over dams, hydropower development, and water-sharing treaties often sidelines disaster mitigation. Weak engagement with local communities further erodes resilience. Indigenous knowledge shaped over centuries once guided sustainable settlement planning, riverine resource use, and flood avoidance. Yet such insights are rarely integrated into modern development. Road building and hydropower expansion urgently require ecological and biological engineering approaches to minimize risks.

The urgency for climate-sensitive and cooperative development in the Himalayas has never been greater. Himalayan river systems sustain agriculture, livelihoods, and energy across South Asia. But as recent disasters show, floods upstream in one country can trigger devastating downstream impacts in another. What is needed is a collective framework—such as a South Asian disaster mitigation body or a Himalayan Rivers Authority—bringing together India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to coordinate flood management, early warning systems, and climate-resilient development. Large-scale hydropower projects should shift toward decentralized, micro-level hydropower and alternative green energy solutions to reduce ecological vulnerability. India, given its size, economy, and extensive Himalayan share, has both the responsibility and opportunity to lead this effort. Its leadership is essential for advancing cooperative governance and ensuring that Himalayan rivers remain lifelines rather than sources of conflict and catastrophe.

Transboundary governance must evolve to confront climate threats that do not recognize political borders. Flash floods, cloudbursts, and GLOFs demand integrated early warning systems that link local observations, meteorological forecasting, and cross-border communication. Equally vital is the incorporation of indigenous expertise—knowledge of river behavior, debris flows, and safe settlement zones that can guide modern disaster risk reduction strategies. The Himalayan rivers of South Asia already carry both “blood and water,” if measured in the growing toll of casualties each monsoon season. Every year, the rains bring nourishment but also destruction. Without proactive planning, regional cooperation, and climate-sensitive development, these rivers risk becoming pathways of tragedy rather than sustenance. Yet a different future is possible—one where science, policy, and traditional wisdom converge to make the monsoon a force of renewal, not devastation.

The deadly floods of 2025—in Dharali, Chosoti, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Bhotekoshi should serve as a wake-up call. They remind us that Himalayan rivers are not static natural features, but dynamic, climate-driven systems profoundly altered by human intervention. For South Asia to safeguard its people, ecosystems, and economies, it must recognize that upstream decisions have downstream consequences. Only by bridging science, governance, and indigenous knowledge can the South Asian monsoon once again become the true lifeblood of the region—sustaining communities rather than sweeping them away. The Himalayan rivers will continue to flow, but whether they bring life or loss will depend on the collective choices made today.

About the Author:

Mehebub Sahana, PhD, is a Leverhulme Fellow and Lecturer in GIS at the Department of Geography, The University of Manchester, UK. His expertise lies in transboundary river basin management, socio-ecological resilience, and the socio-political dimensions of land-use dynamics in the Global South. His research delves into the evolving human-environmental interactions, examining their transformation in the wake of colonization, as well as during the post-partition and independence eras. He can be reached at mehebubsahana@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect The Insighta's editorial stance. However, any errors in the stated facts or figures may be corrected if supported by verifiable evidence.

ঢাকার বাতাসে কি আমরা নিরাপদ? নানাবিধ দূষণ কি আমাদের কাছে স্বাভাবিক হয়ে গেছে? অথচ ধুলা, ধোঁয়া আর বিষাক্ত বর্জ্যে ঢেকে যাচ্ছে ঢাকা নগরী। আমরা কি অপেক্ষা করছি আরো ভয়ানক পরিণতির জন্য? নাকি এখনই সময় পরিবেশ রক্ষায় জোরালো পদক্ষেপ নেওয়ার? এ পরিস্থিতির একটি গভীর বিশ্লেষণ তুলে ধরেছেন তরুণ গবেষক মো. শিহাব উদ্দিন।

Technological advancement and urban expansion have become global trends in the 21^st century, but often at the steep price of our natural environment. Nowhere is this reality more alarming than in Bangladesh, where urban residents stand at the brink of environmental disaster. Dhaka, the nation’s capital, has become a tragic example—plagued by weak environmental governance, rampant pollution, and unplanned urbanization. Once celebrated for its cultural richness and natural beauty, Dhaka is now ranked among the world’s most polluted and least livable cities. Toxic air, shrinking wetlands, and contaminated rivers no longer represent isolated environmental challenges; they signal a looming existential catastrophe. And with each day passing by, the situation grows more complex and perilous.

In recent years, pollution in Bangladesh—spanning air, water, soil, light, and sound—has steadily exceeded the safe limit. Indiscriminate tree-cutting, the filling of wetlands, excessive extraction of sand from rivers, and unchecked dumping of chemical waste have become routine occurrences. Many rivers now face severe water shortages. Since most of these rivers flow into Bangladesh from India and China, upstream control by these neighboring countries exacerbates the problem, leaving rivers increasingly dry during summer months.

In stark contrast, the low-lying areas often experience frequent and severe flooding during the monsoon. This imbalance is worsened by the widespread filling of lakes and canals to make space for growing urban populations. Reports suggest that between 60% to 75% of Dhaka's wetlands have already been destroyed for housing development. At the same time, industrial chemical waste continues to pollute river water, threatening aquatic ecosystems. Illegal sand mining further disrupts navigability and alters natural flow patterns, deepening ecological instability.

Due to such environmental degradation, Dhaka consistently ranks among the least livable cities in the world. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Dhaka was the second least livable city in the world in 2014—just above the war-torn capital of Damascus. It retained the position in 2018. In 2021, Dhaka ranked 137^th among 140 cities worldwide, and in both 2022 and 2023, it placed 166th among 172 cities. The Environmental Performance Index 2024 further highlights the severity of the situation, ranking Bangladesh 6^th last or 175th out of 180 countries, with a score of just 28.1, indicating extreme vulnerability to healthy life (As of April 09, 2025 data).

Air Quality data from the IQAir report also places Bangladesh among the world’s top three most air polluted countries, scoring around 200 or higher in November 2024, categorized as 'very unhealthy'. Alarmingly, the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) in Bangladeshis air has been recorded at up to 15 times higher than the recommended limit set by the World Health Organization. Except during the rainy season, Dhaka's air quality index (AQI) typically ranges between 201 and 300, categorized as 'very unhealthy,' which poses serious risks to public health.

The World Bank report identifies three primary sources of air pollution in Dhaka: brick kilns, vehicle fumes, and dust from construction sites. Alarmingly, the number of these three pollutants has increased over time in Dhaka and its surrounding areas. The State of Global Air report estimated at least 236,000 (2.36 lakh) lives were lost in Bangladesh due to air pollution in 2021. According to the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), air quality between November and February has been the most hazardous over the past nine years. On November 16, 2024, Dhaka's AQI score spiked to 269—the highest level recorded the year. The absence of rainfall during this time leads to heavy accumulation of airborne dust, worsening the health risks for residents.

Bangladesh also faces a significant threat from water pollution. The Asian Water Development Outlook (2016 and 2020) ranked Bangladesh's river water is the most polluted among 48 Asian and Pacific countries. A 2023 study by the River and Delta Research Center (RDRC), which assessed the quality of 56 rivers across Bangladesh from February 2022 to February 2023, found all 56 rivers to be severely polluted. This level of contamination poses a grave threat to the lives of aquatic species. Zooplankton, vital organisms that quickly consume or break down clumps of carbon-rich organic matter sinking from the surface ocean, are being destroyed by highly polluted water—reducing the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon and thereby accelerating global warming. Since it can no longer absorb carbon, which causes global warming. These cascading effects undermine the potential of the country’s blue or marine economy. At the same time, unchecked soil, noise, and light pollution across urban areas further compound public health risks.

The harsh reality is that Dhaka is currently not one of the livable cities. The World Bank report shows that air pollution in Dhaka exceeds the global safe limit by 18 times. The World Health Organization recommends an acceptable limit of five micrograms per cubic meter (mcg/m³) for PM2.5 particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers. However, the average amount of PM2.5 particles in Dhaka significantly exceeds this standard, making it nearly 18 times more polluted than the WHO guideline. A report published on January 18 this year by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) shows that about 102,456 individuals, including 5,258 children, succumb to early death annually in Bangladesh as a result of air pollution. The analysis suggests that Bangladesh may save more than 81,000 premature fatalities annually and mitigate substantial economic losses by reducing existing levels of air pollution.

It is evident that everyone is suffering from the adverse impact of environmental pollution. According to the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute report in September 2021, air pollution has reduced the average life expectancy in Bangladesh by about five years and four months. The WHO reports that air pollution kills an estimated 7 million people each year worldwide. In 2021 alone, air pollution accounted for 8.1 million deaths. This indicates not just environmental deterioration but also a significant failure in governance, policy formulation, and strategic planning. The unregulated settings have resulted in a hazardous urban environment where millions of people are grappling with respiratory issues, inadequate access to clean water, and a heightened risk of illness.

However, it is disheartening to observe that despite existing laws and growing public concern, the situation continues to worsen. So, what can be done to make the environment safe for Dhaka's residents? A comprehensive and urgent strategy is necessary to tackle the deepening environmental degradation in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka. The government must rigorously enforce current environmental regulations. Urban development should be reoriented towards sustainability by preserving wetlands, increasing green areas, and curbing unlawful encroachment. Industrial pollution must be mitigated through mandatory waste management systems. Moreover, the shift to clean and renewable energy, the enhancement of public transportation, and the regulation of automobile emissions are crucial for mitigating air pollution. Furthermore, collaboration with neighboring nations such as India and China is essential for fair water distribution and the protection of transboundary rivers.

Unquestionably, reckless actions are pushing our environment toward destruction. Failure to implement prompt, coordinated, and sustained measures will have lasting impacts. There is still hope, however, as the Bangladesh government has enacted various laws and policies to protect the environment. But raising awareness both at the individual and institutional levels is indispensable. The government should be stricter in punishing those violating environmental laws. In addition, the intergovernmental body of the United Nations, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), should take proper steps to ensure a pollution-free environment worldwide. Ultimately, environmental conservation is not merely a policy issue; it is a moral obligation. We must act to offer a beautiful and livable world for future generations. Immediate action is imperative—before nature denies us the chance.

About the Author

Md. Shihab Uddin is Assistant Director at the Centre for Local Governance Discourse in Bangladesh. He holds BSS and MSS degrees from Jahangirnagar University and previously served as President of the university’s Press Club. With over six years of experience in journalism, his research focuses on media diplomacy, environmental issues, international politics, forced migration, and human rights. He can be reached at shihabgpju47@gmail.com.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect The Insighta's editorial stance. However, any errors in the stated facts or figures may be corrected if supported by verifiable evidence.