The government has initiated a move to monitor air quality in roadside areas under the Dhaka and Chittagong City Corporations and to identify the extent of air pollution caused by vehicles there.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) recently approved a project titled “The Project for the Improvement of Equipment for Air Pollution Monitoring,” with an estimated cost of Tk103.35 crore.
Of the total project cost, Tk35.51 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh, while the remaining Tk67.84 crore will be provided as a grant by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).
The project will cover areas under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), and Chittagong City Corporation.
The specific goals of the project include identifying the sources and extent of air pollution related to road transport, framing effective policies and implementation strategies to reduce air pollution, curbing health hazards associated with air pollution, and addressing related socio-economic challenges.
The project will be implemented between March 2025 and June 2028 by the Department of Environment (DoE) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Japanese grant will be used to enhance the capacity to measure and analyze air pollutants, primarily those originating from vehicle emissions, through the establishment of Continuous Air Monitoring Stations (CAMS) in Dhaka and Chittagong.
This initiative will contribute significantly to strengthening air pollution control efforts.
Commenting on the project following its approval by the Ecnec, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud described it as a "nice" project, noting that the government had yet to properly determine the extent of air pollution caused by vehicles.
He said that under this new scheme, several new CAMS would be installed to measure the extent of vehicle-related air pollution in Dhaka and Chittagong.
"Once the project is completed, it will be possible to accurately assess the level of air pollution in those areas caused by vehicles," he said.
Speaking to reporters, a Planning Commission official mentioned that the Department of Environment (DoE) currently operates 31 surveillance stations, of which 16 are Continuous Air Monitoring Stations (CAMS).
Data from these stations are used to calculate the real-time Air Quality Index (AQI), which is regularly updated on the Department's website.
This information plays an important role in raising public awareness and protecting public health.
Although vehicle emissions are a major contributor to air pollution, the DoE currently lacks roadside monitoring stations.
Given this gap, the official said that the new project, supported by Jica, aims to determine the extent of pollution caused by vehicles, as well as to monitor and analyze pollution trends.
The main project activities include the installation of seven roadside Continuous Air Monitoring Stations (CAMS) and one vehicle-customized Air Monitoring Station (CAMS).
Additionally, necessary machinery and equipment will be procured, alongside the construction of boundary walls and land development work.
In total, 24 roadside CAMS will be installed under the project, with 19 located in Dhaka and five in Chittagong. Site selection will be based on the availability of land, security, electricity, and network connectivity.
Earlier, on February 3, a grant agreement and Exchange of Notes for the project were signed between the governments of Bangladesh and Japan.
