Bangladesh saw around 234,000 deaths, including 80,000 in urban areas, due to environmental pollution and related health risks in 2015, making it one of the worst affected countries in the world, reveals a World Bank report. The number was more than 10 times that of deaths the same year from road accidents, which was 21,286, it pointed out.  

Deaths due to various causes totalled 843,000 in the country that year. Of those, nearly 28 percent were caused by environmental pollution the highest among South Asian nations, according to the report released yesterday. The average rate of such deaths in South Asia is nearly 26 percent, while it is 16 percent worldwide.

The World Bank said this in this year's country environmental analysis report titled ?Enhancing Opportunities for Clean and Resilient Growth in Urban Bangladesh? unveiled at a hotel in the capital.

Air pollution in South Asian countries is the highest in the world with fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 microgram both outdoor and indoor. This is by far the most leading environmental risk in Bangladesh, causing about 21 percent of all deaths in the country, according to the report.

Nearly one million people in Bangladesh, mostly poor, are at risk of lead contamination, which can lead to IQ loss and neurological damage, especially for children, and can increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth among pregnant women, the report cited

Source: WB report, thedaily star, thefinancialexpress