Will our air quality ever improve?

Why is it that we tend to excel in all things negative? Why isn’t it the other way around? Yes, I am talking about our world-class ranking (!) in air pollution. It is quite ironic that we have polluted the very air that keeps us alive to a point that it now makes us sick or worse. Even a few days back, Dhaka ranked as the third or fourth worst city in terms of pollution, but the air quality continued to deteriorate.  

I think the government should address this issue urgently. According to a report published in The Daily Star on November 26, titled “Dhaka gasping for fresh air”, the government has taken a number of initiatives to improve the air quality of the city. But will these bear fruits? I really don’t know because much has been promised before but there has been no progress at all. Now in my eighth month of pregnancy, I am extremely fearful for the life I am nurturing in my womb. If the horrendous pollutants and chemicals continue to affect our air, I can’t help but wonder what the situation for the newborns will be like. Can they live well despite all these odds?

Sohana Nowrin, Dhaka