In a deeply unsettling revelation, a recent international study has laid bare the devastating impact of air pollution on the most vulnerable segment of society-children. Bangladesh, one of the most polluted countries in the world, witnessed the deaths of over 19,000 children under the age of five in 2021 alone due to toxic air. This equates to nearly two child deaths every hour, a statistic that reflects a crisis of grave proportions and demands immediate national and global attention.
The study's findings underscore a horrifying truth: air pollution has become the second leading cause of death among children under five globally, after malnutrition. In Bangladesh, this crisis has reached pandemic levels. The root causes are well known-industrial emissions, brick kilns, coal power plants, vehicular exhaust, and household pollution. But what remains dangerously unaddressed is the systemic dependence on fossil fuel-based infrastructure and the lack of urgency in transitioning to cleaner alternatives.
The disparity is staggering. Children in least developed countries like Bangladesh are 94 times more likely to die from air pollution than their counterparts in developed nations. This is not merely an environmental issue; it is a matter of social justice and human rights. Children are not just dying-they are being denied the right to a healthy start in life. Exposure to toxic air contributes to pneumonia, low birth weight, cognitive delays, and long-term respiratory illnesses. It silently cripples future generations before they even have a chance to grow.
Rapid urbanization, driven in part by climate migration, has accelerated construction through polluting brick kilns. Meanwhile, in rural and peri-urban homes, the use of solid fuels like wood, dung, and coal for cooking continues to poison indoor air. The lack of access to clean cooking technology has turned countless households into hazardous spaces for pregnant women, newborns, and young children.
What makes this crisis more infuriating is the global misallocation of resources. Between 2018 and 2022, nearly $600 billion per year was spent subsidizing fossil fuels, while less than one percent of that went toward combating air pollution. Such a financial imbalance speaks volumes about the priorities of the global system-profits over people, fossil dependence over human development.
Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. Clean air must no longer be seen as a luxury, but as a basic necessity, as essential as clean water. It is time for policymakers to act decisively, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, investing in clean energy, enforcing air quality regulations, and prioritizing public health. The future of an entire generation depends on it. The air that children breathe today will shape the nation's health, productivity, and prosperity tomorrow.
