Dhaka tops global air pollution rankings again: ‘Situation becoming increasingly complex’

Dhaka once again ranks at the top among the world’s cities for air pollution. At around 8:15 am today (Wednesday), the capital shared the top position with Cairo, Egypt, with both cities recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 274.

This level of air quality is classified as “very unhealthy.” In four areas of Dhaka, however, the AQI crossed 300, which represents the most hazardous level of pollution.

Dhaka has now topped global air pollution rankings for four consecutive days. Experts say this unbearable level of air pollution is causing a range of health problems for city residents, with people experiencing these issues more acutely than before.

The number of people suffering from respiratory illnesses is increasing. According to experts, beyond routine rhetoric and cosmetic initiatives, the government has so far taken no effective action to control air pollution.

For the past three weeks, Dhaka has remained among the world’s most polluted cities, and today is no exception.

The current situation has been highlighted by Switzerland-based air quality monitoring organisation IQAir, which regularly tracks global air pollution.

Its live air quality index provides real-time information on how clean or polluted the air in a particular city is and issues health advisories accordingly.

Based on Dhaka’s current air quality, IQAir has also issued several recommendations to reduce health risks.

There are no signs of improvement in Dhaka’s air quality; instead, pollution levels continue to worsen day by day. Throughout December and on almost every day in January, Dhaka has ranked among the world’s most polluted cities.

An AQI level above 200 is considered “very unhealthy,” while a reading of 300 or above is classified as “hazardous.”

Air pollution is increasing across the country, and in some cases, pollution levels outside Dhaka are now even higher than in the capital.

Most initiatives to control air pollution are Dhaka-centric, yet these efforts have yielded little visible result.

Whenever air pollution is discussed, officials from the Department of Environment and other government agencies often blame transboundary air flow across the subcontinent—polluted air coming from India’s Delhi or Pakistan’s Lahore or Karachi.

While no one denies the impact of such regional air flow on Bangladesh’s air quality, attributing pollution solely or primarily to this factor is merely an attempt to evade responsibility, says professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, chairman of the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS).

He argues that if transboundary air flow were the main reason for Dhaka’s pollution, then the source regions themselves would consistently rank at the top.

“If that were the case, how does Cairo, thousands of kilometres away, top the list today?” he asks. On many days, these major source cities rank far below Bangladesh.

Notably, after Dhaka, India’s capital Delhi recorded an AQI score of 181 today, nearly 100 points lower than Dhaka’s.

According to professor Majumder, local pollution sources are not being controlled at all, and there has been little genuine effort to address them. Compared to transboundary air flow, local sources play a far more dominant role.

Major sources of air pollution in Dhaka include emissions from vehicles and factories, dust from construction activities, smoke from burning waste and materials, and brick kilns.

If air quality remains persistently very unhealthy and people continue to be exposed without protection, it can lead to headaches, breathing difficulties, and various other health problems.

Professor Majumder says that recently many people have reported experiencing unusual headaches. Many of them suspect that air pollution may be the cause.

“People have begun to realise that pollution is causing serious harm to them,” he says. “The situation is becoming increasingly complex.”

This morning, air quality was extremely poor at eight locations in Dhaka. These include:

ASL Systems Limited, Nikunja (459); Dhanmondi (364); South Pallabi (334); Eastern Housing, Mirpur (304); Bay’s Edge Water (286); Becharam Deuri (274); Grace International School (252); and Goran (226).

Various projects have been undertaken over time to address air pollution in the country, and new initiatives continue to be announced. Yet the air pollution situation continues to deteriorate day by day.

According to IQAir’s recommendations, given today’s air quality in Dhaka, residents should wear masks when going outdoors. Outdoor exercise is discouraged, and windows should be kept closed as much as possible.