Addressing Dhaka's air pollution

No other city residents are, possibly, as unfortunate as Dhaka residents. It looks like this mega city gives its residents more troubles and fewer facilities. With the onset of every winter, Dhaka city's air starts deteriorating and does not improve until the monsoon sets in. So, the capital of Bangladesh often tops the list of the worst cities in the Air Quality Index in between winter and spring.
What is more worrying is that when air pollution is reportedly responsible for the premature death of nearly 180,000 people a year in Bangladesh, the authorities concerned appear to have failed to contain air pollution and comply with the High Court orders issued in the past to this end. The court reportedly directed the government to shut down brick kilns in and around the capital, ban black smoke-emitting and unfit vehicles and sprinkle water on roads regularly. All the directives seem to have been largely ignored, leaving the air quality of Dhaka and its adjacent areas to worsen. We urge the authorities to implement all the HC directives urgently so that Dhaka dwellers can have some breathable air this spring.

Md. Fajlay Rabbi,
Uttara, Dhaka,
[email protected]