Dhaka’s air polluted round the year

According to an analysis of Air Quality Index, which is monitored by the department of environment, under its Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) project, the overall air quality in Dhaka is now categorised from "very unhealthy" to "extremely unhealthy" for 197 days of the year. Indeed, the data tells us that the situation is deteriorating with each passing year. With multiple mega projects underway in the city in terms of flyover construction, metro rail and the ballooning of automobile numbers, the combined effect of dust and burning of fossil fuels has had a devastating effect on air quality.  

Studies tell us that the air in Dhaka is 5.7 times above the safe pollution level set out by WHO. There is no proper management of the sites under construction, which means Dhaka remains largely unclean. The repair and maintenance of roads being undertaken by various agencies, with little or no regard for the overflow of sewage and the haphazard manner in which materials are left on the roads, do not help matters. The continued contamination of the air with heavy metals that come from automobile exhaust and the apathy of authorities to do anything about the "fitness" of outdated vehicles simply add another dimension to the deterioration of air quality.

With worsening air quality comes the threat to public health. Experts point out that with the presence of toxic metals like lead, chromium, cadmium, nickel, arsenic, manganese and copper in the air on an average day, people of all ages are increasingly susceptible to different breathing ailments. Policymakers need to take stock of the fact that unregulated construction work, along with the presence of too many vehicles on city roads, which are not tested for fitness, pose a major threat to the health of the people. Air pollution is known to raise the risk of premature birth, low birth weight and can cause life-threatening health complications for pregnant women. The economic cost of deteriorating health of millions of Dhaka city residents has to be taken into consideration and steps have to be taken to lessen the risks posed by major polluting factors.