BD air quality worst in Bay of Bengal region

Gazipur's air contains highest particulate matters

YASIR WARDAD | Published: January 13, 2025 22:27:36

Bangladesh and its cities are grappling with worst air pollution for factors like construction activities, brick kilns, industrial operations, power generation and transboundary pollutants.
Heavy metals in the air, particularly in Dhaka and its outskirts, including Gazipur, rank Bangladesh the worst among others in the Bay of Bengal region.
This alarming information was revealed at an air quality research and environmental policy discussion at the University of Dhaka on Sunday.
The event was organised by the US Embassy in Bangladesh.
Prof Dr James J Schauer from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison delivered a keynote paper.
Environment, forests and climate change adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Dhaka University pro-VC Prof Dr Sayema Haque Bidisha, and science faculty dean Prof Dr Abdus Salam, among others, spoke at the event.
According to a paper presented by Dr Zahidul Quayyum of BRAC University, Dhaka is the most polluted city in the Bay of Bengal region.
The concentration of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller) in Dhaka's air is nearly 100 µg/m³.
This is significantly higher compared to Kolkata (74 µg/m³), Chennai (30 µg/m³), Yangon (25 µg/m³), Colombo (below 20 µg/m³), and Male (less than 10 µg/m³).
PM2.5 is a key indicator of air quality. Its small size allows it to penetrate deep into the respiratory system, posing severe health risks.
In his paper, Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Mazumder of Stamford University revealed that Gazipur has the highest PM2.5 level in the country, measuring 266 µg/m³, followed by Dhaka (252 µg/m³) and Narayanganj (226 µg/m³).
It also identified three districts in the Haor region-Habiganj, Kishoreganj, and Moulvibazar-among the top 10 most air-polluted areas in Bangladesh.
Household activities, particularly biomass combustion, account for 28 per cent of air pollution in Bangladesh.
Other significant contributors include power plants 24 per cent, brick kilns 13 per cent, and open burning of solid waste, road dust and transport emissions 12 per cent.
A substantial portion also originates from transboundary sources.
The Department of Chemistry at Dhaka University presented a study on the health hazards of indoor air pollution.
Shahbagh was identified as the most polluted area in Dhaka in terms of PM2.5 level.
The study also found alarmingly high PM2.5 concentrations in households, posing serious health risks to residents.
Experts at the discussion underscored the need for collaborative policies to combat air pollution.
They advocated integrating insights from science, policy and society into co-design, co-produce and co-create solutions that promote equitable urban health.
Such an approach, according to them, is imperative to eradicating air pollution and improving the quality of life in Bangladesh.
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