Shahbagh air, Gulshan-2 sound most polluted: Study
Completion of ongoing development projects is expected to reduce pollution significantly
Highlights
- Increase budget allocation for environment ministry
- Finalise the draft of "Clean Air Act 2019"
- Appoint BCS cadre for environmental affairs
- Implement "Noise Pollution Policy 2006", and High Court directives
- Make people aware of pollution
Air pollution is highest in Shahbag and sound pollution in Gulshan-2, while the parliament area is least polluted in terms of both air and sound pollution, finds a study.
USAID-backed Waterkeepers Bangladesh Consortium revealed the report on Sunday after conducting the year-long study between April 2021 and March this year.
During the period, the presence of 2.5 micron Particulate Matter (PM) was 85 micrograms per cubic metre on average in the Shahbag area, which is 566% higher than the standard value of 15 micrograms, while it was 70 micrograms in the parliament area.
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The existence of PM 10, another harmful substance, was about double the standard value in the air of the city.
"The key reason for the air pollution is ongoing development work, especially from Abdullahpur to Shahbag," said Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, founding director of Stamford University's Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), while presenting the study report at the National Press Club.
Saying that air pollution is claiming thousands of lives, he called for taking effective steps to save Dhaka from the pollution.
The consortium, consisting of Jahangirnagar University's Geography and Environment Department and CAPS, supported by multinational development organisation Counterpart International surveyed 10 key locations of the city – Ahsan Manjil, Abdullahpur, Motijheel, Shahbag, Dhanmondi-32, Agargaon, National Parliament, Tejgaon, Mirpur-10 and Gulshan-2.
In these areas, sound pollution was highest at the Gulshan-2 intersection at 132 decibels, followed by 95 decibels in Abdullahpur and 89 decibels in Tejgaon, while the standard value is 55 decibels. Sound pollution was lowest at 31 decibels in the parliament area.
The study suggests the government increase budgetary allocation for the environment, forest and climate change ministry, finalise the draft of "Clean Air Act 2019", appoint BCS cadre for environmental affairs, implement "Noise Pollution Policy 2006" and High Court directives, and make people aware of pollution issues.
"It is rational that development work will have an impact on the environment, and the city needs development," said Md Nurul Islam, professor of geography and environment at Jahangirnagar University.
"However, air pollution has now gone out of control. With the completion of the ongoing development works, it is expected to reduce significantly," said Sharif Jamil, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon.
Environmental pollution in the city that accommodates more than 20 million people in its 306 square kilometre area has long been a burning issue. Its very poor air quality has made the city the most polluted among others in the world several times.
