Dhaka population suffer worsening air pollution

Dhaka, Bangladesh – The heavily populated capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, is one of the most polluted cities on the earth. In the last three months, the highest average AQI score was 365 on January 20, 2022.

An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered “poor,” while a reading of 301 to 400 is said to be “hazardous,” posing serious health risks
to the city population; that is where Dhaka falls under. An AQI between 401 and 500 is said to be “severe.”

AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.

With the advent of winter, the city’s air quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant particles from construction works, rundown roads, brick kilns, and other sources.

Experts say the exposure to a high level of air pollution weakens people’s respiratory and immune systems, causes various cold-related diseases, making them more susceptible to Covid-19.

From 2016 to mid-2019, air pollution steadily increased by 10 percent, according to environmentalist Ahmed Majumder.

But, at the end of 2019, air pollution was on decreasing trends due to the initiatives of the Ministry of Environment, including
crackdown against illegal brickfields and stopping the movement without fitness vehicles on the road.

After the remarkable decrease in March-April 2020 due to Covid-19 lockdown, air pollution was drastically increased that the average
pollution was at an all-time high breaking all previous records.

“We have analyzed data of almost 2,000 days from 2016-to 2021. Findings have revealed that out of 2,000 days, we have had 38 days of fresh air. That means 38 days in 6 years; that is less than 7 days per year of fresh air as the guidelines set by the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment,” Majumder said.

“If anybody has a respiratory- and lung-related problem, they are warned not to leave their home. Our AQI Index goes above 400. We are just living in a gas chamber,” said Sharif Jamil, the General Secretary of the Bangladesh Paribash Andolon.