Environmental Pollution in Dhaka— A Wake-Up Call for Urban Health Security
Is Dhaka still livable? With toxic air, dying rivers, and unchecked urban sprawl, the city faces a growing health crisis. How long can we ignore this? Urgent action is no longer optional—it's vital.
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 21st 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 Toxic air, shrinking wetlands, and contaminated rivers no longer represent isolated environmental challenges; they signal a looming existential catastrophe.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 137th 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 6th 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. | A guest post by
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