Even though the source of pollution has been identified, no effective action has been taken.

Bangladesh has been at the top of the list of countries with the most polluted air in the world for several years. And the capital Dhaka remains on the list of top cities in terms of air pollution. Although the sources of pollution have been identified through research and investigation, the capital’s air pollution cannot be controlled in any way due to the lack of effective initiatives.

Dhaka residents have been able to breathe clean (healthy) air for only two days this year. Those concerned said that air pollution cannot be controlled due to the lack of coordination. Experts said that if proper initiatives are not taken now, terrible days await the city residents.

Dhaka topped the list of cities with the most polluted air with an AQI score of 305 at 9 am yesterday, Monday, which is about 60 times the normal standard level of the World Health Organization. According to the index, yesterday’s air was ‘hazardous’. Earlier, last Thursday, Dhaka’s air was the most polluted this year.

Recently, the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) of Stamford University conducted a study on the air quality index of Dhaka city for the past 9 years. Their research results show that the average air quality index has gradually increased from July to January in the past 9 years. The main reason for this, according to the report, is that December and January are the winter months and pollutant emissions increase during this time.

Since winter is the dry season, the amount of dust also increases during this time. In addition, brick kilns operate during the dry season. Due to low temperature and humidity during winter, very small particles float in the air. In some cases, people light fires with biofuels to ward off the cold, which further increases Dhaka’s air pollution.

The research report shows that the average air quality index of Dhaka in January, February, March, November and December is much higher than other months of the year. Especially the average air quality index in January, February and December is more than 200; which is increasing the health risk of Dhaka residents. And in the 5 months of the dry season, i.e. from November to March, about 57 percent of the air pollution of the entire year occurs.

On the other hand, only 43 percent of air pollution occurs in the remaining seven months of the monsoon or pre-monsoon season. Switzerland-based IQAir regularly highlights the air pollution situation. According to their information, the five most polluted areas in Dhaka in the last few days were Becharam Deuri in Old Dhaka, Kalyanpur, Eastern Housing, Hemayetpur in Savar and the US Embassy in Dhaka. An analysis of the causes of pollution in these five areas has revealed building construction work, road excavations, smoke emitted from vehicles, unplanned waste management and pollution sources such as tannery factories and brick kilns. Earlier, several studies and investigations have identified these sources as the cause of air pollution in the capital. However, even though the sources have been identified, there are no effective steps to control the pollution.

In this regard, Professor Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder, Chairman of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) at Stamford University, said, “Although various works are being done on air pollution, field work is essential. That work is not being done. There are modern laws to control air pollution in our country. However, those laws are not implemented. As a result, pollution is increasing day by day.’

Also blaming the lack of coordination between the ministries concerned in controlling pollution, the CAPS chairman said, the Ministry of Environment should sit with the departments, organizations or ministries responsible for the causes of air pollution. At the same time, it should be solved by sitting with the responsible organizations. Today (Monday), the air quality in Dhaka has been above 300 for five consecutive hours. If the air quality in an area is above 300 for three consecutive days and three hours, a health emergency should be declared in that area. But no one is taking any action.

Kamruzzaman Majumdar’s complaint is that the Department of Environment itself also agrees. They said that there is a lack of coordinated initiatives to solve complex problems like air pollution. When asked, the Director of the Department of Environment (Air Management) Md. Ziaul Haque told our time yesterday, ‘We have a shortage of manpower at the field level. We are regularly taking action against polluters, but due to the manpower shortage, it is not being sufficient. Moreover, to solve complex problems like air pollution, we have to coordinate work between the concerned departments, which has not been done yet.’

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