Choking on the job: How Dhaka’s smog affects rickshaw pullers, ride-hailing bikers and bus crews

While many expected that reduced construction activities would bring some relief, Dhaka’s air quality remained unhealthy throughout December. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

It was a hazardous day in December when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 457 in Dhaka – indicating that air quality poses severe health risks. Elderly rickshaw puller Abbas Ali huffed and puffed. He was carrying passengers through the dusty roads of Malibagh.

The road had been perpetually riddled with potholes and obstructions. Construction on the Elevated Expressway halted midway and left the area precarious for months — building an open-air chamber of suffocating dust.

"I had to visit the doctor this month for a cold and cough. The cough never goes away," Abbas Ali said.

Originally from Kurigram, Abbas has been pulling rickshaws in Dhaka for nearly 40 years. He witnessed firsthand how Dhaka's air pollution worsened over time, making his suffering an inescapable part of his life.

"I have to endure this every day. I've stopped thinking about it," Abbas added.

Taijul Islam, another rickshaw puller from Kishoreganj, admitted he didn't fully understand what air pollution is. However, he described feeling the heaviness of the air and, after a long day navigating Dhaka's streets, experiencing the weight of dust like the metallic tang in his throat.

"Sometimes I have a coughing frenzy at the end of the day," he added.

Residents in Dhaka were particularly shaken when a young doctor, who suffered from chronic asthma, died shortly after posting on her Facebook profile: "It doesn't feel like it's just dust and construction material. The air definitely has some toxic gases in certain areas... It's so stupid that we have no brains in town to get cracking at this."

This December, Dhaka's air quality reached a staggering 457 on the AQI index at 10 pm on 9 December, remaining above 400 for about five hours from 8 p.m.

Residents in Dhaka were particularly shaken when a young doctor, who suffered from chronic asthma, died shortly after posting on her Facebook profile: "It doesn't feel like it's just dust and construction material. The air definitely has some toxic gases in certain areas... It's so stupid that we have no brains in town to get cracking at this."

While construction activities were reduced and many expected that would bring some relief, Dhaka's air quality remained unhealthy throughout December. In fact, the situation only worsened.

Environmental scientist Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder from the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies in Dhaka told The Business Standard that they observed a 10% increase in air pollution in Dhaka during November. In December, they recorded air quality levels reaching 700–800 for at least 30 hours during the first 25 days of the month.

We met Golam Mostofa, a bus crew member in Moghbazar, in late December, hanging by the bus door as dust swirled around him. He was wearing a mask.

"I have been suffering from cold and cough all winter, and my chest hurts," said Mostofa, adding that he was on medication.

Kabir Hossain, a bus driver, remarked that dust levels in Dhaka have been increasing. "There's road digging [construction] in various parts of the city, and many projects that started months ago remain unfinished," Kabir told The Business Standard.

Rumanul Hasan, a ride-hailing biker near the Banglamotor area, shared similar health concerns caused by pollution.

"The islands between the roads are very dusty. We used to see the city corporation splash water on roads before, but that hasn't happened this time. And Dhaka is a very dirty city, with waste dumped everywhere," Rumanul said.

Due to the hazardous levels of pollution in Dhaka, residents, especially transport workers, are constantly exposed to carcinogenic pollutants. These include PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 (particulate matter of varying sizes), as well as volatile organic compounds like benzene and formaldehyde.

In January, Rest of World, a global tech publication, equipped gig workers in Dhaka with Atmotube Pro monitors to measure PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 levels in the city. Similar devices were provided to workers in Delhi and Lahore.

"The data revealed that all three workers were routinely exposed to hazardous levels of pollutants. For PM2.5—particulates 2.5 micrometres in diameter or smaller, which are linked to health risks such as heart attacks and strokes—all riders consistently recorded exposure levels more than 10 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily average of 15 micrograms per cubic meter," the report stated.

Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder published a case study in 2020 about the impact of air pollution on rickshaw pullers in Dhaka. The study included 35 non-smoker rickshaw pullers with no history of respiratory issues and measured their lung function. 

"The majority of the respondents had various seasonal and environmental disorders since coming to Dhaka," Kamruzzaman shared in that Rest of World report. "46% of the respondents mostly had eye irritation, fever and cough during winter, which decreased their ability to pull their rickshaws."

In the latest interview with TBS, Kamruzzaman said pollution didn't decrease as thought but increased this winter, due to a rise in pollution from the transport sector. "Easy bikes, though battery-operated, contribute to increased traffic congestion, which exacerbates pollution," he said.

Bangladesh introduced carbon taxes to reduce vehicle emissions, but failed to address the primary culprit: over 1,252 brick kilns in Dhaka's suburbs, contributing to over 58% of the city's air pollution.

"There's a need for source-specific pollution studies," Kamruzzaman said.

Environmentalists and transport workers on the street observed that water splashing, which helps reduce dust, started late last week but was insufficient.

Besides preventing unfit vehicles on the road and stopping waste burning, in the long term, Kamruzzaman said Dhaka needs to move away from manual sweeping with brooms, which increases air pollution and sweeping should be automated.

"Transitioning to electric vehicles and reducing dependence on fossil fuels are crucial. Even electricity must come from renewable sources rather than coal," he said. "It's also important to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Environment. City corporations must install incinerators for waste management. Without proper management, people will continue burning waste indiscriminately."

He also asked for stricter measures against the prolonged timeline of construction projects and expressed his worries that Dhaka might need to brace for a heightened wave of air pollution surrounding the New Year celebration.

"Dhaka's air pollution spikes by 30% during 31st December celebrations. This must be addressed urgently," he added.