Dhaka has long dominated the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, and has been rightly criticized for it. However, in a turn of events, July was an exceptionally clean month for Dhaka’s air -- while usually our capital city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) score soars above 200 and even 300, it dipped below 100 for most of July.
According to experts, this drop was caused by a combination of factors, including frequent monsoon rains, Eid holidays, and lower traffic activity due to Covid-19 restrictions, and while this must have come as a breath of fresh air, quite literally, to Dhaka-dwellers, clean air should not be a luxury that we only get to experience rarely and only under extreme circumstances.
July’s numbers have shown that cleaning up Dhaka’s air is not and was never an impossibility. There is no reason for Dhaka residents to be routinely exposed to the risks that result from air pollution, such as lung and heart diseases, as well as a host of other illnesses.
As such, it is imperative now that the concerned authorities design a plan of action that effectively and sustainably reduces air pollution in the capital and holds polluters accountable. If cleaning up the city’s air for one month was possible, with the right measures and proper implementation, it can be done over the rest of the year, too.
For example, regulations can bring down vehicular emissions by keeping unfit cars and buses off the road, and a long-term vision for decentralization can keep the pressure off our capital all year round, and not just on Eid.
