By Shuvo Chandra Das
Air pollution is a significant public health concern in Bangladesh and a major cause of premature death and disease. The country’s rapid urbanization, industrialization and using low quality fuels decrease our air quality which leads many malicious diseases on public health. According AQI (Air quality index) 0-50 is considered decent air quality but in our country’s air quality is 168 which is poor.
Urban areas often bear the brunt of air pollution, impacting not only human beings but also ecosystem and air quality on a global scale. Also in rural areas, the use of solid fuels like wood, coal, dung for cooking is responsible for indoor air pollution. Some tiny particles and dangerous gases are caused for air pollution. As like carbon-mono-oxide, sulfur-dioxide, such amount of carbon-dioxide, (VOCs) etc. These air pollution elements create fatal diseases like: Asthma, Lung cancer, (COPD), Stroke and Pneumonia etc.
Most citizens live in areas, especially cities like Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Cumilla where air pollution can reach high levels. Both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to a wide range of diseases. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified air pollution, particularly PM2.5, as a leading cause of cancer. A recent global review found that chronic exposure can affect every organ in the body, complicating and exacerbating existing health conditions.
Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable because their bodies, organs and immune systems are still developing. Air pollution damages health during childhood and increases the risk of diseases later in life, yet children can do little to protect themselves or influence air quality policies.
In 2023 IQAR (interim quality assurance report), Bangladesh recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 79.9µg/m3 ranking number one among countries and territories. This marks the first increase in the average concentration since 2018.Dhaka, the capital and most popular city, recorded an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 80.2µg/m3 this represents population levels more than16 times the concentration recommended by the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline. The city’s concentration increased over 20% from 2022’s mark of 65.8µg/m3. There were above 100ug/m3 and two months where the average breached 150µg/m3.
Air pollution can occur due to both human activities and natural cause events. However, in Bangladesh human activities contribute more to air pollution than natural Cause. Air quality research paper shows that the factors causing air pollution in Bangladesh include open soil left after road and ground excavation unplanned construction, unplanned brick kilns (60% of which are illegal), poor waste management, deforestation, toxic emissions from vehicles without proper fitting neglected canals that have turned into drains and garbage dumps and most importantly people’s lack of awareness.
In the last century, the increased combustion of fossil fuels has had an adverse impact on air pollution. Air pollution such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs). ozone(O3), heavy metals and respirable matter (PM2.5 and PM10) along with their chemical composition, reactive characteristics, emissions, dissociation time difference and their ability to spread over short and long distance.
Besides, pollution is linked in many ways. Greenhouse gases (GHG) and major air pollutants like ozone, CO, and black carbon (BC) particles come from a variety of sources. Sources in the developing countries include biomass burning, brick making, and traffic. Low efficiency combustion of fossil fuels emits black carbon particles and precursor gases that lead to the formation of tropospheric ozone. Black carbon (BC) is a major air pollutant and can act in two ways. First as a direct absorber of visible light and that provides direct warming in the lower atmosphere. In addition, Air pollution causes severe respiratory infections in children and chronic bronchitis in the elderly, as well as exacerbates pre-existing heart and lung diseases or conditions such as asthma.
In 2018,the WHO(world health organization) estimates that about 200,000 people die in Bangladesh per year due to the polluted air.as per the medical report, in Bangladesh perspective, four of the top 10 death-causing disease are directly related with air pollution i.e. Stroke (5%); lung cancers (13%); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (7%); chemic heart disease (6%); and the lower respiratory tract infections (7%).Besides, different types of air pollutions effort on human health in different ways.
A report published by the Health Effect Institute (HEI) in partnership with UNICEF highlights the alarming air pollution in Bangladesh. which is harmful to public health according to the state of global Air report in 2021 alone, air pollution was responsible for more than 235,000 deaths in Bangladesh. The report also reveals that children under the age of five are more vulnerable to air pollution related diseases. The impact includes complications such as premature birth, asthma and severe lung diseases among other health issues. The report further highlights that in 2021 over 19,000 children under the age of five died in Bangladesh due to air pollution.
So, reduce the air pollution public awareness are needed. Moreover, people should investment in green technologies, and it will play pivotal roles in safeguarding public health and promoting sustainable development in Bangladesh.
In conclusion, air pollution remains a formidable public health challenge in Bangladesh, significantly impacting the population’s well- being and economic productivity. the pervasive presence of pollutions such as PM2.5 and PM10, originating from various sources. Despite regulatory efforts and intervention, the burden of air Pollution persists, necessitating robust measures such as adopting cleaner technologies stringent enforcement of emission standards and sustainable urban planning.
The Writer is a Member of Social Research Group (SRG) and an undergraduate Student of Public Administration, Comilla University. This is a work in progress.
