Dhaka City dwellers spend Tk 4,000 each per year: Study

A Dhaka City dweller spends TK 4.000 on an average per annum on diagnosing and treating symptoms related with air pollution, a CPD study said.

It said that air pollution increases the risk of various health conditions, including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic and acute respiratory diseases such as asthma. Common symptoms of these conditions include coughing, difficulty breathing, a runny nose, a sore throat, chest pain, and eye irritation.

Syed Yusuf Saadat, a research fellow of the Center for Policy Dialogue, presented the findings of the study, "Reducing Pollution for Greening Cities", at Brac Centre in Dhaka.

CPD Executive Director Fahmida Khatun moderated the dialogue, participated by Habibun Nahar, deputy minister for the environment, forest, and climate change, and Matt Cannell, acting British High Commissioner in Dhaka.

"This amount is almost twice the government's  health budget allocation of Tk2,228 in the current fiscal year," the study revealed on Wednesday.

The CPD conducted research by surveying 500 households in the capital city to create a database reflecting people's opinions on pollution.

Children under five years and elderly people above 65 years are considered age groups vulnerable to air pollution, and on average, 20 per cent of sick family members belong to these vulnerable age groups, said Yusuf Saadat.

In total, individuals in Dhaka city took 2,117 days off from work and school in the last year due to the symptoms attributed to air pollution, he added.

The research paper said 76 per cent of respondents thought that air pollution in Dhaka city became much worse in the last 2-3 years.

In response to the question of why air pollution increases, 77 per cent blamed vehicular emissions as  the main reason, construction sites contributing 10 per cent, brick kilns 4 per cent and waste burning -- 9 per cent.

CPD urged that the government to formulate a regulation requiring phasing out of all fixed chimney brick kilns by December 31, 2028.

Besides, the government should stop approving any new coal-based power plants and gradually decommissioning and phasing out existing coal-based plants, including the Rampal power plant near the Sundarbanswhich as it would destroy the ecosystem.

 CPD also raised concerns about using single-use plastics, which is increasing severely, and people are getting used to it. It found that single-use plastics are the main reason for water pollution.

In the study paper, at least 74 per cent of respondents said burning plastic waste leads to air pollution.

As many as 67 per cent said that plastic waste had blocked sewage systems causing urban flooding.
No fewer than 62 per cent said that plastics cause water pollution.

At least 58 per cent said that burning plastic waste leads to heart illness and respiratory problems and affects the nervous system.

Yusuf Saadat said at least 58 per cent blamed burning plastic wastes for heart illness, and respiratory problems, and neurological problems. Some 52 per cent respondents said that chemicals from food containers could leak out and enter the human bloodstream.

Speakers said in the event that pollution can be reduced in collaboration of all the stakeholders and that individual effort is not enough to prevent pollution.

Deputy Minister Habibun Nahar said, "We have many policies to eliminate pollution. But the policies are not working due to a lack of proper implementation.

"We have to be aware of our respective places to prevent pollution. The use of polluting products should be reduced."

The deputy minister said instead of holding a roundtable in an AC room, "we should go to the common people and make them aware."

Matt Cannell said that to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, "we are investing in Bangladesh."