Air pollution: Dhaka tops in 11 out of 17 days in February

Dhaka keeps popping up on the list of cities with the most polluted air around the world in regular intervals.

According to the data of IQAir, a Switzerland-based company that monitors the air quality throughout the world, Dhaka was the city of most polluted air in the world on this Saturday as well.

In addition to that Dhaka was the city of most polluted air in the world on 11 days out of the 17 days (at some time of the day or night) of the current month, February.  

Professor of environmental science at Stamford University, Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder has confirmed this to Prothom Alo after analysing the IQAir data.

While speaking to Prothom Alo over the phone on Saturday night he said that when calculated annually Dhaka remains on top of the list of cities with most polluted air every third day (at some time of the day or night) on average.

Based on the air quality data of 101 cities around the world, IQair stated, Dhaka had the average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 227 at 9:30am on Saturday, which is labeled ‘very unhealthy’.

If such a condition prevails in a city during any time of the day, it creates a health risk for the citizens there. It is better to remain indoors for those suffering from respiratory system complications.

According to IQAir data, Indian capital Delhi was the city with second most polluted air in the world after Dhaka Saturday morning. The third city on that list was Mumbai, another city from India.

Public health experts believe that the government needs to take strong measures for dust control on roads to reduce air pollution in Dhaka city. They say people will get immediate benefits if dust can be controlled on the roads.

Digging roads, infrastructural construction without following the rules, movement of unfit vehicles, burning of waste, irregular spraying of water on the roads, black fumes from brick kilns among others are responsible for air pollution in Dhaka, said the experts.

Professor Kamruzzaman said garbage is burnt at an average of 50 locations in Dhaka city every day while 100 roads are dug. Plus, innumerous buildings are being constructed in different parts of the city.

Air pollution is increasing for the rules aren’t being followed in these cases. And this is having a harmful impact on public health, he added.