Bangladesh has seen an alarming rise in air pollution recently with the average daily level of toxic pollutant -- fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) now seven times higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) permitted levels, according to a new study.
The PM 2.5 pollution level was found to be maximum in Dhaka and neighbouring cities like Gazipur and Narayanganj, reports a Delhi-based fortnightly magazine DownToEarth.
The report cited a nationwide survey carried out by the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies, a unit of Stamford University Bangladesh.
The average daily concentration of the pollutant was nearly 17 times the WHO limit and over four times of Bangladesh’s PM 2.5 permissible benchmark of 65 micrograms (μg) per cubic metres of air, the report said.
The miniscule particles are capable of penetrating and lodging deep into the respiratory system, triggering a host of illnesses including respiratory and cardiac malfunctions as well as cancer.
“Constant digging of roads and construction, emissions from about 1,200 brick kilns around the cities, pollution from thousands of moderate and large industries as well as from unfit vehicles and burning of garbage are the main reasons behind the high air pollution level within the top three cities in Bangladesh,” DTE quoted Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder, head of environment science at Stamford University and project lead as saying.
The WHO permits a daily limit of 15 μg of PM 2.5 pollution. However, the study carried out from January-July 2021 found in the 64 districts found that that the PM 2.5 level during the period was 102.4 microgram.
“Out of the 64 districts studied, Gazipur had the worst daily average PM 2.5 pollution (263.45 μg). Dhaka was the second-worst with 252.9 μg, followed by Narayanganj with 222.45 μg,” said Majumder.
The study found the levels in few places to be as high as 500 μg which is 30 times above the WHO benchmark.
According to the report, Habiganj, Noakhali, Tangail, Cox Bazar, Chandpur, Chittagong and Kishoreganj are significantly polluted while Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat falling within the Sundarbans face moderate levels of pollution.
The research also found that areas such as Madaripur, Patuakhali and Meherpur to be least polluted due to lesser amount of construction work.
The PM 2.5 concentration was the highest in mixed demographic areas (111.9 μg), the study showed. This was followed by commercial areas (111.4 μg), road crossings (110.8 μg), and pollution in domestic, industrial and sensitive areas, DTE reports.
The least pollution was recorded from rural areas (94.02 μg), according to the report but the figure is still nearly 1.5 times of Bangladesh’s daily average limit and six times of the WHO limit.
Researchers engaged in the study pointed out that pollution levels surged with the start of development activities especially around the capital.
“We find that the PM 2.5 surge mainly started from 2016, almost the same period when several developmental works, particularly major constructions, started in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh,” said Majumder.
One of the mega projects undertaken by the government is the metro rail that began in 2016.
“Air pollution has spread all over Bangladesh, with Dhaka being the central point leading to high impact on exposed population,” DTE quoted Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan (Bapa) General Secretary Shorif Jamil.
He demanded appropriate laws and green courts to counter the rising pollution in the country.
Meanwhile, Dhaka School of Economics Chairman Qazi Kholiquzzaman said that people violating vehicular laws and rules are also behind the rise of pollution.
However, neither Bangladesh nor India receives any substantial amount of pollution from each other and most of the pollution originates locally, the study found.
Bangladesh along with India and Bangladesh are countries in the South Asian region with high levels of pollution.
According to DTE India’s West Bengal Pollution Control Board chief Kalyan Rurdra had earlier claimed that about 21% of the state’s PM 2.5 pollution comes from Bangladesh, based on a study carried out by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
However, Anumita Roy Choudhury, an air pollution expert from the Centre for Science and Environment, a Delhi-based non-profit said: “It’s a common thing that polluted air travels from Bangladesh to India, and vice versa.”
She added that it is high time that a wider air-shade needs to be looked into for tracking and taking action against air pollution.
