Exposure to Airborne Particulate Matter in Regional Environments of Bangladesh and Its Effects on Respiratory Health: A Narrative Review
K. M. Ferdousul Haque, Mohammad A Rashid, Mohammad Sharifur Rahman, Md. Khalid Hossain, Md. Shafiul HossenABSTRACT
Background
Air pollution represents a critical public health crisis in Bangladesh, driven by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and widespread emissions from brick kilns, traffic, and biomass burning. Elevated levels of fine particulate matter and toxic gases across both urban and rural regions contributes to significant reductions in life expectancy and escalating respiratory disease burdens. Therefore, the present review aims to examine the role of fine/ultrafine particulate matter and hazardous gases in respiratory health outcomes among the Bangladeshi population to synthesize evidence that can inform public health policy.
Methods
We included 42 studies to obtain data related to the fine/ultrafine particulate matter and hazardous gases and their impact on respiratory health in Bangladesh from scientific databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Directory of Open Access Journals, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library between 2013 and 2025 (last 12 years).
Results
Findings indicated that PM 2.5 concentrations in major cities such as Dhaka, Chattogram, and Khulna exceed WHO guidelines by 8 to 18 times, with consistent hotspots linked to industrial zones, brick kilns, transportation, and seasonal biomass burning. These pollutants are strongly associated with increased prevalence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, acute respiratory infections, and hospital admissions, particularly among children, the elderly, and occupational groups. The discussion underscores severe monitoring gaps in peri‐urban and rural areas, where exposure remains under‐characterized despite comparable pollution levels.
Conclusion
The findings of the present review indicates that the urgent regulatory enforcement, enhanced air quality monitoring, and targeted public health interventions are essential to mitigate respiratory health risks and reduce the nationwide burden of air pollution in Bangladesh. Furthermore, comprehensive geological and environmental monitoring studies are required across all districts to fully characterize exposure and guide effective public health interventions.