Minhaj Abedin, who works at a private organization, has been battling a dry cough for several days. While his coughing is sporadic during the day, it becomes significantly more frequent at night.
However, he shows no signs of fever, cold or other symptoms typically associated with respiratory illnesses. He suspects Dhaka's air pollution might be the cause, remarking on the dust-laden environment and the common seasonal cold and cough associated with winter's onset.
Yet, this cough has been persistent and shows no signs of improvement.
Pollution in Dhaka
On Wednesday morning, Dhaka ranked as the second-most polluted city globally. Lahore, Pakistan, was first, followed by Delhi and Karachi in third and fourth positions.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), Mirpur's Eastern Housing 2, Becharam Dewri and Kalyanpur were identified as the most polluted areas in Dhaka.
AQI data shows that Dhaka's air pollution intensifies significantly after dusk, reaching levels classified as "very unhealthy."
The Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) says November to February has consistently recorded the highest air pollution levels over the past nine years.
IQAir's 2023 annual report ranked Bangladesh as the most polluted country globally, followed by Pakistan, India, Tajikistan and Burkina Faso.
In the list of most polluted cities, Delhi topped the chart, with Dhaka coming in second, followed by Ouagadougou, Dushanbe and Baghdad.
What do experts say?
CAPS founder Prof Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder cited road excavations, mega infrastructure projects, brick kilns, thousands of industrial factories, unfit vehicles emitting black smoke and waste burning as the primary contributors to Dhaka's pollution.
To mitigate the effects of Dhaka's polluted air, the environment ministry on Tuesday advised wearing masks outdoors and recommended that sensitive individuals avoid going out unless necessary.
Doctors say air pollution is a significant cause of cough during the dry season, adding that seasonal changes and dry weather can exacerbate coughing.
Preventive medicine expert Dr MH Choudhury Lelin said pollution levels had surged since the dry season began, rendering Dhaka's air unhealthy.
He added that the city often ranked among the most polluted globally, resulting in respiratory issues like coughing and sneezing.
He advised wearing masks outdoors, gargling with warm salted water and consulting a doctor if symptoms worsened.
Medical professionals highlight that common colds and fevers are typically caused by viral infections.
While it was previously believed that a specific category of viruses caused colds, research in the 1980s identified seven categories responsible.
Cold weather creates an environment conducive to viral transmission, making people more susceptible during winter.
Dr Ayesha Akter, deputy director of the TB Hospital in Shyamoli, attributed the surge in cough cases to the dry winter air and the increased dust and pollutants in Dhaka.
She said exposure to these pollutants triggered coughing as the body attempted to expel harmful particles.
The doctor also mentioned that viral infections often caused colds, coughs and sore throats, which spread rapidly within households and were more prevalent during seasonal transitions.
However, as winter progressed, the incidence tended to decrease, she noted.
