On Friday, Dhaka city stood second in global rankings for worst air quality -- a feat that has become disturbingly commonplace for the capital. With the Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 236, the air is officially classified as “very unhealthy,” and we would be remiss if we continued to ignore the ramifications of this recurring hazard.
While this is nothing new -- similar rankings are recorded every year around this time -- what it underscores is that we need to start addressing our age-old pollution problem.
For a city so densely populated and plagued by unchecked urbanization, this is hardly an unprecedented scenario. In fact, this is the reality we have created by failing to consider the long-term consequences of our negligence on the city’s health.
As things stand, over 36 million citizens are at risk of not only innumerable chronic illnesses stemming from the consistently hazardous air quality, but also a significant deterioration in overall lifespan.
This is a warning sign that should have been heeded long ago.
There are no two ways about it: Our approach as a nation must change. Factories and brick kilns contributing to the toxic air must be relocated to more remote areas, vehicles on the road must be regulated far more strictly, and -- most importantly -- the government must immediately arrange and expand green initiatives to counter this lethal issue.
While the previous administration dismissed such concerns in pursuit of quick progress, any upcoming leaders of the nation must treat this matter as a top priority if we are to survive.
It is high time we redirect our attention toward more sustainable and environmentally conscious efforts -- for both the people and our capital to truly thrive.
