South Asia’s crisis. Across the region, millions of families breathe poisoned air. In New Delhi, Lahore, Kathmandu, Karachi, and Dhaka, smog is not an exception but a constant companion. And climate change—through crop residue burning, drought, and wildfires—is making an unbearable situation worse.
Prothom Alo and others newspapers report is saying In the past few months, Dhaka has consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted cities. Daily air quality readings often swing between “poor” and “unhealthy,” with PM2.5 concentrations averaging well above safe limits. In September 2025, for instance, Dhaka’s Air Quality Index hovered between 130 and 150 on most days—levels that trigger coughing, breathing difficulties, and asthma flare-ups, especially among children and the elderly. Even on days considered “moderate” by global standards, the city’s residents still breathe air that is two to three times dirtier than what the World Health Organization deems safe. This means that for millions of Dhaka’s people, there is no real break from pollution—only degrees of danger.
The University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) confirms South Asia is the most polluted region on Earth. Pollution levels rose nearly 3 percent from 2022 to 2023, erasing fragile gains. On average, life expectancy across the region is shortened by three years; in hotspots of northern India, central Bangladesh, and Pakistan’s Punjab, people could lose more than eight years.
“Particulate pollution’s toll on life expectancy is more than four times that of alcohol use, five times that of unsafe water and sanitation, and six times that of HIV/AIDS,” Tanushree Ganguly, director of AQLI, told me. “That is why particulate pollution is considered the world’s greatest risk to human health.”
In North America, wildfire smoke in 2023 briefly pushed air quality into the “hazardous” zone. For South Asia, such air is the norm. Delhi’s winters are lost in toxic haze. Bangladesh’s brick kilns pump out poisons with little oversight. Pakistan shuts schools as smog overwhelms hospitals.
“In Canada, wildfire smoke may shave months to years off life expectancy if it persists,” said Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Clean Air Program at EPIC. “But in South Asia, reductions of three to seven years are already a reality. That’s the scale of the crisis.”
Climate change, Hasenkopf warned, is worsening the backslide: droughts, fires, and erratic monsoons amplify the pollution load and undo years of progress.
A Humanitarian Emergency in Disguise Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) penetrates lungs and bloodstream, fueling strokes, heart disease, cancer, and premature births. The poor are hit hardest. Masks and air purifiers are luxuries of the middle class. “We cover the windows with wet cloths to filter the air,” said Anwar Hossain, a garment worker in Gazipur, whose daughter’s asthma forced her to leave school.
Air pollution is not just an environmental issue—it is a social justice issue. The poorest carry the heaviest burden while the wealthy seal themselves in filtered apartments.
South Asian governments have not been idle: emission standards, bans on crop burning, and kiln crackdowns exist on paper. But enforcement is weak, corruption widespread, and climate extremes undo progress. Unlike North America, where decades of regulation delivered cleaner air, South Asia struggles to keep even modest gains from evaporating.
The question is not whether air pollution can be controlled—it can. The question is whether leaders will confront vested interests and treat clean air as a right, not a privilege.
Experts are clear. Short-term measures—alerts, masks, shelters—only buy time. Lasting solutions demand systemic change: investments in renewable energy, regional cooperation, stronger regulation, and bold leadership.
“Air quality alerts and masks can help during wildfire episodes,” Hasenkopf noted. “But the long-term policy goal should be to address the root cause—climate change driven by fossil fuel emissions.”
South Asia’s future depends on whether governments see clean air as negotiable, or as a foundation of public health and prosperity. It is about whether children can breathe freely, play outdoors, and live long, healthy lives.
Clean air must no longer be a dream for the privileged. It must be a promise kept for all.
Mosabber Hossain is a reporter and a master’s student in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism at the University of Montana.
Email: [email protected]
