This is not only worrisome but also fatal, as Dhaka has become an almost unlivable city, with its air pollution frequently ranking among the world's most polluted cities.
Evidently, on Tuesday, the city once again topped the list, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 193 in the morning. On the same day, India's Delhi occupied the second position with an AQI of 165, while China's Wuhan ranked third with a score of 158.
Against the backdrop of deteriorating air quality in Dhaka, little has been done over the past years, if not decades, to ameliorate the situation. During the recent interim government, we heard about a National Air Quality Management Action Plan aimed at tackling the sources of air pollution, improving air monitoring and enhancing enforcement mechanisms of various laws and policies to combat deadly air pollution.
In this context, a roadmap was announced to promote cleaner technologies in industries, transportation and urban development. That was part of a broader strategy to achieve sustainable environmental targets, with a focus on reducing the alarming levels of pollution that mainly affect urban areas.
Unfortunately, that roadmap to rein in the city's air pollution did not see the light of day.
As a result, air pollution across the country has become the deadliest environmental concern, with hundreds of thousands of people dying from it every year. According to an estimate, air pollution annually claims nearly 7 million lives worldwide.
In the capital and elsewhere in the urban areas of Bangladesh, air pollution is significantly affecting public health, raising the risks of breathing difficulties, coughs, lower respiratory tract infections, as well as depression and other health conditions. This is why immediate action is urgently needed, including improving public health services and response mechanisms, strengthening air pollution data monitoring systems, investing in early warning systems, and conducting further research.
What are the causes of air pollution in the capital and other cities? Its major sources are brick kilns, surface dust and sand, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and large-scale construction activities. In Dhaka city, persistent traffic causes the highest level of air pollution. This is because the number of different types of vehicles, such as passenger buses, trucks, jeeps, minivans, auto-rickshaws, and other motorized modes of transport, has increased manifold over the last two decades.
Brick kilns are another major pollutant. There are over 2,000 brick kilns in and around Dhaka and about 5,200 more spread across the country. These brick kilns burn coal to produce bricks for the booming construction industry. Additionally, Bangladesh has seen an increase in construction activities because of rapid urbanization. As a result, extensive unplanned residential development and large projects to build bridges, highways, and mass rapid transit systems are creating severe air pollution.
It is high time the government adopted a comprehensive plan to reduce air pollution. Otherwise, the country's public health will remain in danger.
