AIR pollution has for long been one of the gravest public health threats and new evidence shows its devastating impact on the children. A recent international study by Zero Carbon Analytics describes child death linked to air pollution as a ‘silent epidemic’ and Bangladesh has been among the worst-affected countries. Toxic air is now the second leading cause of death among children under five worldwide after malnutrition and Bangladesh bears a disproportionate share of this burden. The report estimates that more than 19,000 children under five died in Bangladesh in 2021 from air pollution, nearly two every hour. Researchers identify brick kilns, coal-fired power plants, vehicle emissions and household smoke as the major contributors to air pollution, alongside rapid, unplanned urbanisation that has intensified the crisis in and around Dhaka. The city continues to rank among the worst in terms of air quality. Particularly alarming is children’s exposure to fine particulate matter, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, leading to respiratory infections, impaired cognitive development and increased mortality. Children are more vulnerable than the adult because they breathe more rapidly, their organs are still developing and they spend more time outdoors.
For pregnant women using wood, dung or coal for cooking, the risks are compounded. They face a 2.6 times higher likelihood of giving birth to low-weight babies while their newborns are four times more likely to die. Children aged three to five exposed to indoor smoke are also 47 per cent more likely to experience delayed cognitive development. This crisis has deepened because of policy neglect and weak enforcement. Although Bangladesh has policies put in place to control air pollution, they have largely failed to deliver results. High Court directives to close illegal brick kilns, keep unfit vehicles off roads and enforce waste management have been routinely ignored. About 3,000 brick kilns continue to operate in and around the capital. The government’s decision to set the national PM2.5 standard at 35 micrograms per cubic metre, seven times higher than the WHO guideline, reflects dangerous complacency. The cost of inaction is borne by children, who had no role in creating this crisis. They are dying because of energy systems that they did not design. While the world spends hundreds of billions on fossil fuel subsidies each year, less than 1 per cent goes in combating air pollution.
The government should acknowledge the severity of this crisis and act decisively. This means upgrading brick kiln technology, transitioning to clean cooking stoves, phasing out high-emission vehicles and enforcing court orders without delay. Failure to break fossil fuel dependence and address unregulated pollution will mean that the youngest citizens will continue to pay the ultimate price, with their health and their lives.
