Dhaka’s air pollution worsens in winter

The air quality sometimes improves to an acceptable level during summer or monsoon rains in Dhaka, but when winter arrives, the city of noise and pollution rises to the top of the list of metropolises with the most polluted air.

Construction work going on throughout the year, trucks carrying sand without any cover, brick kilns on the outskirts of the city, dark smoke from unfit vehicles, and unaware or negligent citizens burning garbage, mostly plastics, are a few among many factors that are holding the city back from reviving its air.

Doctors recommend wearing facemasks outdoors to avoid air pollution, which is causing respiratory problems to the city dwellers.

According to IQAir, an international air quality technology company, Dhaka's air has been unhealthy since Dec 9, reports bdnews24.com.

At 7:30pm on Wednesday, Dhaka’s air quality or AQI was 305, which is 'hazardous'. At that time, Dhaka was the third most polluted city in the world.

Then, at 10am on Thursday, Dhaka was at the top among the top 10 cities in the world in terms of air pollution. The AQI at that time was 251, which is considered 'very unhealthy'. In second position was Kolkata, capital of neighbouring West Bengal state of India, with the AQI at 245; After that, Delhi was at the third position with an AQI of 235.

According to UNB, Dhaka ranked eighth on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality with an air quality index (AQI) score of 164 at 9:10 am on Sunday morning.

India’s Kolkata, Delhi and China’s Chengdu occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 360, 246 and 186, respectively.

An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy', AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.

A bdnews24.com report said environmentalists and experts blame negligence of the authorities for the failure to prevent air pollution in Dhaka as measures taken to prevent air pollution are insufficient to reduce pollution.

They believe it is not just the environment ministry’s job to take these measures effectively, but coordinated initiative of all the ministries is needed.

Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar, the founding director of the Atmospheric Pollution Study Centre of Stamford University, said brick kilns, unfit vehicles, non-compliance of construction rules, and burning of waste are causing air pollution in Dhaka.

There are separate agencies to monitor these but they are not performing their duties properly, he said.

"For example, if a ministry only thinks that project implementation is their job, then air pollution will not reduce. But if they also think about the construction regulations and environmental issues, air pollution will be reduced.”

The two city corporations of Dhaka have also announced some steps to prevent air pollution in Dhaka.

Water is sprinkled daily in Jatrabari, Dolaipar, Postgola Bridge, Basabo, Kamalapur, Rajarbagh, Gulistan, Bangabandhu Avenue, Motijheel, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Mugdapara, Khilgaon, Dhanmondi, New Market, Moghbazar, Bailey Road and Dhaka University area, Dhaka South ity Corporation claimed.

Abu Nasser, a spokesman for the city corporation, said they use nine water bowsers to sprinkle water. Three road sweepers are also used on the flyovers. All these vehicles operate in two shifts.

Md Moqbul Hossain, the spokesman for Dhaka North City Corporation, said they use 10 vehicles to sprinkle water.

The city corporation also acts against builders who do not cover their construction sites, he said.