South Asia is one of world's worst cities

This file photo taken on September 12, 2012 shows the logo of the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC, capital of the United States. South Asia is home to nine of the world's 10 cities with the worst air pollution, and Dhaka is one of these, according to a World Bank report in the capital of Bangladesh on March 28, 2023. PHOTO XINHUA DHAKA South Asia is one of nine of the world's 10 cities with the worst air pollution, and dhaka is one of them, according to a World Bank report presented in the capital of Bangladesh on Tuesday.

It said that 20 percent of the total deaths in Bangladesh are caused by air pollution.

The World Bank said that there are economically feasible, cost-effective solutions to clean air in the region, but this requires countries to coordinate policies and investments.

The report titled Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia said concentrations of fine particulate matter such as soot and small dust PM 2.5 in some of the region's most densely populated and poor areas are up to 20 times higher than the World Health Organization WHO standard.

In South Asia, it causes an estimated 2 million premature deaths a year and incurs significant economic costs. Exposure to extreme air pollution has a wide range of effects from stunting and reduced cognitive development in children to respiratory infections and chronic and debilitating diseases.

This leads to increased healthcare costs, lowers a country's productive capacity, and leads to loss of workdays.

Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, said that air pollution is a serious threat to public health and has a major impact on economic growth.

Bangladesh has taken steps to improve air quality management, including the approval of the Air Pollution Control Rules. Trans-boundary solutions will be important to curbing air pollution, along with strong national actions, according to the official.

The report identifies six major airsheds in South Asia where spatial interdependence in air quality is high, indicating that Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan share a common airshed that spans the Indo Gangetic Plain.

Cecile Fruman, World Bank Director for Regional Integration for South Asia said that air pollution is not limited to a city, state or national borders.

South Asian countries in the same airshed- common geographical areas that share the same air quality can reduce the alarming level of air pollution only if they take a coordinated approach, Fruman said.

The report said policymakers should focus on other sectors, including small manufacturing, agriculture, residential cooking, and waste management, to achieve greater progress.