Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

At Dhaka Children’s Hospital, Mr. Naddem carried the body of his two-year-old daughter, Rufaida, who died from a respiratory illness worsened by polluted air. Doctors say many children remain admitted, some dependent on oxygen. UNICEF reports over 19,000 Bangladeshi children under five die each year from air pollution-related diseases, with 2–3 children dying every hour from pneumonia.

The elderly also suffer. Seventy-year-old Joynal, once a factory worker, now relies on an oxygen cylinder. Doctors warn long-term exposure weakens lungs and fuels chronic illness.

Dhaka ranks among the world’s most polluted cities. In 2023, PM2.5 levels were nearly 18 times higher than the World Health Organization’s safe standard. Brick kilns, construction dust, traffic, factories, and waste burning remain the city’s major pollution sources.

Experts warn air pollution is Bangladesh’s biggest environmental health crisis, cutting life expectancy by up to eight years.