Poet Tarapada Ray wrote a poem "Amader Shorbonash Hoye Gechhe" (We Are Doomed).
The title of this famous poem feels painfully relevant for the residents of Dhaka today.
At this point, readers might think this writer is talking nonsense. That’s okay. But what I’m about to discuss is a very serious issue.
The Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) presented a study recently at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. According to the study, Dhaka residents were able to breathe clean air for only 31 days over the last nine years.
CAPS analysed Air Quality Index (AQI) data from 2016 to 2024— that’s 3,114 days of data, obtained from the US Embassy in Dhaka.
During this period, residents of the capital experienced:
• 853 days of unhealthy air,
• 635 days of very unhealthy air,
• 878 days of air unhealthy for sensitive groups,
• 93 days of hazardous air, and
• 624 days of moderate air.
Citing the study, CAPS Chairman Prof. Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder pointed to a worsening trend in Dhaka’s air quality.
Dhaka is an ancient city with a rich history, heritage and renown. Many romantic dwellers still call Dhaka a “magical city” or the “city of soul.”
But there’s another side to the story— a darker, more troubling side filled with infamous reputations. Air pollution is one of its most pressing problems.
In recent years, Dhaka has consistently ranked among the top cities in the world for worst air quality.
According to the World Population Review, Dhaka's population in 2025 is estimated at 24,652,900—and it continues to grow. People are flocking to this megacity from across the country, making their homes here.
National and international studies point to several key factors behind Dhaka’s toxic air: unplanned urbanisation, construction and demolition, industrial activities and emissions, vehicular emissions, traffic congestion, fossil fuel combustion, household fuel use, brick kilns, solid waste mismanagement, road dust, and a lack of green spaces.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution can affect almost every organ in the human body. The respiratory tract is the main entry point, but the pollutants cause inflammation, oxidative stress, immune system suppression, and even mutations in cells throughout the body. This impacts the lungs, heart, brain, and more—ultimately leading to disease.
Air pollution is a risk factor for all-cause mortality and several specific diseases. The most strongly linked outcomes include stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, pneumonia, and cataracts.
There’s also growing evidence connecting air pollution to adverse pregnancy outcomes, various cancers, diabetes, cognitive decline, and neurological disorders.
The WHO estimates that air pollution kills seven million people globally every year.
In Bangladesh, air pollution has become the leading cause of death. According to the fifth edition of the State of Global Air report, at least 236,000 people in Bangladesh died due to air pollution in 2021 alone.
To the naked eye, we Dhaka dwellers may not notice it — but we are constantly inhaling toxic air. And we are slowly moving toward a deadly outcome.
Urgent action is needed — from the government, from all stakeholders, and from us, the people of this city.
The clock is ticking.
* Saiful Samin is a journalist at Prothom Alo and can be contacted at saiful.islam@prothomalo.com