To say air pollution is a major public health concern in Bangladesh at this point is an extreme understatement; millions of people are exposed to harmful levels of pollutants on a daily basis which result in numerous diseases such as cardiovascular problems, asthma, bronchitis, and heart disease. All of this has led to an overall worse quality of life, with significant years taken from the average Bangladeshi’s lifespan.
Wintertime in particular is when Bangladesh is often marked by a thick blanket of haze that engulfs major cities and towns, with the air pollution at its worst. Over this month alone, we have seen India take pro-active measures to not only identify when the air pollution level got out of hand, but also shut down schools and institutions when the air outside was deemed too hazardous to allow people to be in.
To that end, it has been unfortunate to see that not only do we almost never take into account the effects the constant exposure to such hazardous air have on the population, but much like everything else, we take a reactive approach, trying to solve the problem only after it has become too big to ignore.
To that end, with winter approaching, now is the time to take pro-active measures to try and minimize the effects of the worsening air pollution. From reducing vehicle emissions by implementing strict emissions standards for vehicles and promoting the use of more public transportation, to curtailing industrial pollution by first stopping illegal brick kilns and then having industries adopt cleaner production technologies, these are just some of the ways we can start thinking about reducing the adverse effects of air pollution.
It is only by taking pro-active measures and recognizing the magnitude of the problem of air pollution can Bangladesh begin to reduce air pollution levels during winters and protect the health of its citizens.