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AirSeverity: Critical

Air pollution in Dhaka

Brick kilns, traffic, construction dust and regional pollution make dry-season air quality in Dhaka among the poorest of any major city.

Dhaka · Bangladesh

01 · The problem

What is happening

Dhaka's air quality deteriorates sharply during the dry season, roughly November to March, when brick kilns around the city operate and rainfall no longer washes particles from the air. The World Bank and Bangladesh's Department of Environment identify brick kilns, vehicles, construction and road dust, and industrial emissions as major sources, with transboundary pollution across the Indo-Gangetic Plain also contributing. Fine particulate concentrations are documented far above WHO guideline levels.

Critical severity. Severe, persistent harm to health, ecosystems or livelihoods. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.

02 · Causes

Why it is happening

  1. 01

    Brick kilns

    Thousands of kilns around Dhaka burn coal and other fuels, particularly in older, less efficient designs.

  2. 02

    Vehicle emissions

    Congested traffic and older diesel vehicles emit particulates and nitrogen oxides.

  3. 03

    Construction and road dust

    Large-scale construction and unpaved or poorly maintained roads generate coarse and fine dust.

  4. 04

    Transboundary pollution

    Regional pollution across the Indo-Gangetic Plain is carried into Bangladesh in winter.

03 · Impacts

Who and what it affects

  1. 01

    Respiratory and cardiovascular disease

    Exposure to fine particulates is a leading environmental health risk in Bangladesh.

  2. 02

    Health risks to children

    Children are particularly vulnerable to impaired lung development and respiratory infection.

  3. 03

    Economic costs

    Illness and premature deaths reduce productivity and increase health spending.

04 · Solutions

Documented approaches

  1. Kiln modernisation

    Replacing traditional kilns with cleaner technologies and promoting alternative building materials such as hollow blocks.

    Expected effectReduces a leading dry-season emission source.

  2. Dust control on construction sites

    Covering materials, water spraying and enforcement of site rules.

    Expected effectLowers local particulate levels near construction.

  3. Vehicle and fuel standards

    Phasing out older vehicles, improving fuel quality and expanding mass transit such as the Dhaka Metro Rail.

    Expected effectReduces transport emissions over time.

  4. Regional cooperation

    Collaboration across South Asian airsheds on emissions and monitoring.

    Expected effectAddresses the transboundary share of pollution.

Explore an illustrative What-If

05 · Key indicators

What can be measured

Peak season
Dry season (roughly November to March)

Qualitative indicator: brick kiln operation and lack of rain drive seasonal peaks.

WHO annual PM2.5 guideline
5µg/m³2021

Dhaka's monitored concentrations are documented as many times this guideline; consult official monitoring for current values.

06 · Sources

Where this comes from

  1. [1]Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia (publisher site)World Bank · Dec 2022worldbank.org(opens in a new tab)
  2. [2]Department of EnvironmentGovernment of Bangladeshdoe.gov.bd(opens in a new tab)
  3. [3]Ambient (outdoor) air pollution fact sheetWorld Health Organizationwho.int(opens in a new tab)

Links open the publishing organisation's site. Some point to the publisher's main page, where the named report or dataset can be found.

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