According to a report by Switzerland-based organization IQAir, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, ranks second among the 126 most polluted cities in the world. At that time, Dhaka's air quality score was 228, which is considered "very unhealthy." On Thursday, the air quality score in Dhaka was 341, which is classified as "hazardous." On such a day, breathing the air in Dhaka is equivalent to smoking 23 cigarettes. This indicates the extremely poor air quality in the city, which is harmful to everyone's health. It is known that the primary component of air pollution in Dhaka is the presence of fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5. As of today, the concentration of PM 2.5 in Dhaka's air is 33% higher than the World Health Organization's recommended limit.
Today i'm going to talk specific problems like Air pollution.The problems of the capital Dhaka seem to be increasing. Dhaka is losing its livability. Dhaka city is plagued with various problems and people are suffering from air pollution especially in winter. Air pollution in Bangladesh, particularly in urban areas like Dhaka, is a significant issue. But once this Dhaka city was one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There were many small and big rivers around the city. The city dwellers enjoyed the cool air that swayed the water of that river. There were also many water bodies and trees inside the capital. But in the span of a few decades, everything has dissolved.
Today the capital Dhaka has turned into an unlivable city due to unplanned management. The air and in the city is toxic. City dwellers can't breathe. People are suffering from various diseases due to air pollution. Children, teenagers but old people are not exempted. According to a recent study, the capital's air quality is 'very unhealthy' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 280 in the list of the world's most polluted cities.
According to the AQI score, Dhaka is at the top of the world list. According to the World Bank report, 78 to 88 thousand people died in Bangladesh in 2019 due to air pollution related health problems. It is not known how many people are getting sick due to air pollution in the capital. Air pollution will continue like this or the government will find a solution!
Air pollution has serious effects on our body. Air pollution can cause various diseases. Such as lung diseases. Apart from this, air pollution can also be one of the causes of harmful effects on kidneys and even blood pressure, damage to reproductive health, eyes, cancer and heart. According to the World Bank report, poor women and children are suffering from pollution. Because most of them live in polluted areas, where there is also risk of lead contamination. As a result, children's intellectual development and neurological damage can occur. Air pollution damages the eyes and respiratory system, at the same time it can cause various lung complications, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, headache, asthma and various allergic problems.
We need to know what are the reasons behind the air pollution in the capital. In the capital, construction of small and large buildings and road repairs are carried out throughout the year. Although there are some specific instructions of the Department of Environment to prevent air pollution during any type of construction work, they are limited to notebooks, but they are no longer implemented.
During the construction or repair of roads and buildings, there is a rule to provide appropriate temporary shelters or fences at the construction site so that dust does not mix with the air. Also, proper covering of building materials inside and outside the enclosure and spraying water at least twice a day are not followed. Contractors or officials tend to neglect compliance with cost considerations.
Apart from this, the department also asked to stop traffic on the roads under construction and arrange alternative roads, repair the damaged roads as soon as possible and transport the construction materials under cover. In case of non-observance of these rules in the construction of buildings and roads, the City Corporation can list the contractor as well as impose fines. But whether it is ever done or not is beyond doubt.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Law Association (BELA) said - "We have many mega-projects in Dhaka. When the environmental impact assessment report is approved and clearance is given, there are some guidelines to control air pollution. But they The Department of Environment does not have the courage to go to the site and stop work if it is not complied with."
According to survey 2021, there are about 1,200 brick kilns, thousands of small and large industrial factories around Dhaka, which are one of the causes of pollution. Experts say that most of the brick kilns in Bangladesh are still operating in the traditional way. Coal and wood are used as fuel in these brick kilns. As a result, it produces a lot of ash and polluting particles like carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide and carbon dioxide mix with the air, harming the environment and humans. Most of these kilns and artists' institutions remain out of touch as they belong to the ruling party.
Everyone knows about the bitter experience of vehicles in the capital Dhaka. Especially unfit public transport causes air pollution. Because these transport equipments are not working properly, they emit black smoke. These black smoke contains toxic gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide. Heavy traffic in the capital is a daily companion. This leads to wastage of fuel and air pollution due to long engine running.
It can be said that there is not much management for the daily waste of the residents of the capital. Garbage is placed on roadsides, near localities. From which the strong smell spreads and harms people. Although the city corporation has various responsibilities to keep the city pollution free, implementation is not very visible. As per previous experience, there is reluctance to properly implement water sprinkling, waste management etc. during summer when the amount of dust increases.
What would be the solution of air pollution in Bangladesh? We are going to discuss about it. Here are some possible solutions: Improve the quality and accessibility of public transportation and trains to reduce the reliance on private vehicles. We have to remove highly polluting, outdated vehicles from the streets.
We have to modernize brick kilns with cleaner technologies to reduce harmful emissions laws. must ensure factories use emission control technologies and adhere to environmental laws. Must enforce guidelines for covering construction sites and proper waste management in the city. Moreover, we have to definitely plant trees and create green spaces in urban areas to improve air quality and reduce the urban heat island effect. Without promoting renewable energy sources like solar and wind power we can't to reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
The government has to increase the number of air quality monitoring stations to track pollution level. As well as we have to take sustainable step to solve air pollution in Bangladesh. Improve air quality in Bangladesh requires sustained effort from the government, businesses, and citizens. Policies need proper implementation and regular evaluation to ensure effectiveness. Without rising public awareness, it will be very difficult to solve the problems. We have to educate the public about air pollution's health impacts and ways to reduce individual contributions. Then i confidently say air pollution will reduce in the city.
The writer is a student, Department of sociology, Dhaka College
