Pollution claims 272,000 lives annually in Bangladesh: World Bank

The report also finds that environmental issues cause 5.2 billion days of illness annually and cost the equivalent of 17.6 percent of the country's GDP in 2019

Air pollution, unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene, and lead exposure cause over 272,000 annual premature deaths in Bangladesh, a World Bank report has revealed.

The Bangladesh Country Environmental Analysis (CEA), released at a Dhaka hotel on Thursday, also finds that these environmental issues cause 5.2 billion days of illness annually and cost the equivalent of 17.6 percent of the country's GDP in 2019.

Household and outdoor air pollution have the most detrimental effect on health, leading to nearly 55 percent of premature deaths, which alone cost 8.32 percent of GDP in 2019, the report said.

Environmental pollution is taking a heavy toll on children. Lead poisoning is causing irreversible damage to children’s brain development, resulting in an estimated annual loss of nearly 20 million IQ points, according to the report.

Household emissions from cooking with solid fuels are a major source of air pollution and affect women and children, it said.

Major rivers in Bangladesh have experienced a severe decline in water quality due to industrial discharge and unmanaged waste, including plastics and untreated sewage, among other sources, it added.

The WB said timely and urgent interventions for air pollution control; improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and control of lead exposure could prevent over 133,000 premature deaths per year.

During the event, Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury highlighted the importance of the nation's health.

He affirmed the government's commitment to improving air and water quality, prioritising climate action interventions, and actively devising a time-bound plan.

Chowdhury pledged to make necessary policy adjustments to address emerging needs and reiterated his dedication to fostering a green future for the country.

“For Bangladesh, addressing environmental risks is both a development and an economic priority. We have seen around the world that when economic growth comes at the cost of the environment, it cannot sustain. But it is possible to grow cleaner and greener without growing slower,” Abdoulaye Seck, WB country director for Bhutan and Bangladesh, said at the programme.