Environment, Forest, Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Wednesday said that foreign sources account for 30-35 per cent of the country's air pollution while 28 per cent comes from power plants.
Curing air pollution is a time-consuming process dependent on economic capacity, development patterns, communication infrastructure, and the transport system, she said.
She made these remarks as the chief guest at Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on the Bangladesh Clean Air Project held at the Department of Environment in the city.
The adviser said that reducing air pollution is impossible without improving fuel quality and increasing refinery capacity. Even neighbouring countries with upgraded refineries are still grappling with air pollution, often ranking among the most polluted cities. Therefore, Bangladesh must adopt a long-term strategy to combat pollution effectively, she said.
Merely monitoring and reporting the deterioration of air quality is not enough; concrete actions must be taken, she said, adding that the Department of Environment will launch a hotline where citizens can report air pollution issues during the winter months.
She highlighted that planting trees along central reservation can help check dust pollution, as seen in the areas surrounding the Padma Bridge.
Calling for bold economic decisions to fight air pollution, she stressed the need for strict measures against brick kilns and proposed that some steel mills should suspend operations for 2-3 months during winter to reduce emissions.
Additionally, she emphasised the importance of strictly enforcing the ban on the plying of buses older than 20 years.
About the project, she said, "This project must be designed in a way that ensures visible improvements in air quality. If we can reduce dust pollution by 13 per cent and control industrial emissions, we will be able to make significant progress."
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