IT’S really miraculous that people of Bangladesh are still living despite gradual decay of their vitality inhaling the most polluted air in the world. The 2018 World Air Quality Report has directly blamed that country’s air pollution issue was ignored deliberately by the authorities concerned. Air pollution will cause around seven million premature deaths globally next year along with a major economic impact, where Dhaka will have to bear a lion share. Though brick kilns and vehicles run on fuel with higher level of sulfur have been identified as the major sources of air pollution, the government has a very little interference, which in turn becomes susceptible.
The air quality of Bangladesh is the worst while Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Bahrain are following. The quality of air in Iceland, Finland and Australia are among the healthiest on the earth. Delhi is the most polluted capital city while Dhaka is second in that category followed by Kabul, Manama and Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia. Ambient airborne particles, measure up to 2.5 microns in size, is the measuring value as the particle can penetrate deep into the human respiratory system and from there to the entire body, causing a wide range of short- and long-term health effects.
The air pollution is the silent but prolific killer of humanity. It is one of a variety of manmade environmental disasters that are currently taking place all over the world. The air pollution seriously affects the respiratory tract and causes irritation, headache, asthma, high blood pressure, heart ailments and even cancer. Particularly in the case of Dhaka, living in this city is not really like living in the crater of an active volcano but it is like living on a sleeping volcano which may erupt any time and engulf everything. But neither the government nor the residents are fully realising what crisis is emerging for them.
The government has taken various steps to reduce emission of harmful smoke from brick kilns, including promoting cement blocks for construction work. Besides, a law had enacted in 2018 to make brick kilns environment friendly. But it did a little help. The pollution issue should be high on the agenda of the government as well as political parties.
