Call to control air pollution 

Youth and civil society representatives on Tuesday demanded effective implementation of existing laws and policies, regular monitoring, institutional accountability and greater citizen participation to control air pollution in Bangladesh. They said air pollution had emerged as a major threat to public health, the environment and environmental justice, stressing that clean air was not a luxury but a fundamental right to a healthy and dignified life.

The demands were made at a press conference organised by the Breath Coalition at the National Press Club in Dhaka. The event was titled ‘Breathing in the Grey: From Policy Gaps to Public Action for Clean Air’.

Shurjodoy Youth Society director Raihan Noman Noor Nabi chaired the press conference, moderated by Nikhil Chandra Bhadra, coordinator of the Sundarbans and Coastal Protection Movement. Professor Dr Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder, director of the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), presented the keynote paper. ActionAid Bangladesh programme officer Md Masud Parvez Abhi, Smart Air Bangladesh operations manager Md Ashraful Islam and others also spoke at the event.

Professor Kamruzzaman said air pollution was an invisible, infectious and life-threatening crisis. Citing available studies, he said air pollution was reducing the average life expectancy of Bangladeshis by about 5.5 years, while around 102,456 people died every year from pollution-related diseases.He called for urgent and effective measures to curb pollution through strict enforcement of laws, institutional accountability and citizen participation. He also called for the establishment of air research cells at all universities.

The 15-point demands included immediate implementation of the Air Pollution (Control) Rules, 2022, and other existing policies and action plans. The speakers demanded formation of an effective joint task force involving the Department of Environment, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, city corporations and police to tackle air pollution.

They also called for a digital platform or hotline for lodging complaints related to air pollution, with a provision for resolving complaints within a specified timeframe.

Under the ‘polluter pays principle’, they demanded financial penalties and compensation from polluting industries and establishments and suspension of licences where necessary. They also demanded adequate and functional air-quality monitoring stations or camps in Dhaka and all divisional cities.

It called for displaying real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) on digital boards at crowded public places and publishing daily air-quality bulletins.

The demands also included strict enforcement of dust-control measures at construction sites, covering construction materials and regular sprinkling of water. The representatives called for action against unfit vehicles and vehicles emitting excessive black smoke.

They demanded effective monitoring to stop open burning of waste and plastic and called for public health alerts during periods of extreme pollution. They also recommended providing appropriate masks to traffic police and workers exposed to polluted air.

The coalition further called for increased budgets and equipment at the local level to control air pollution, year-round public awareness campaigns through the media and educational institutions, and greater participation of young researchers and affected communities in government policymaking and policy evaluation.

It also demanded that youth platforms, including the Breath Coalition, be included as independent monitoring partners in government oversight and implementation committees.