Unfortunately, in keeping with past trends, the capital’s air quality index was recorded at 161 on Tuesday, placing Dhaka as the third most polluted city in the world.
The range of 101-200 when it comes to the AQI is considered unhealthy, so it should go without saying that when it comes to improving our air quality, extensive work is still the need of the hour.
Dhaka has long been struggling with the quality of its air, given the focus on rapid urbanization -- which has manifested in a decidedly unplanned manner -- that is seeing the city lose more of its greenery with each passing year, it should come as no surprise as to why we are doing so badly.
We have also seen an increase in the number of unauthorized brick kilns and environmentally hazardous factories throughout the country -- with many of them being constructed within or on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Large construction projects result in copious dust and micro pollutants, and contractors seldom take it upon themselves to mitigate the odious effects of these qualities. While urban development is necessary for us as a nation, it needs to be planned out better unless we are to witness the air deteriorating to the point where it will start having a noticeable impact on our lifespan.
As it already has.
We understand that this is not a problem that has presented itself overnight, but it is an issue that will need to be addressed the further we progress into our nation’s development trajectory.
If we are to achieve economic progress at the cost of our health, then the opportunity cost would be far greater than the benefits reaped. And that’s as bad a deal as it gets.
