Spring season has already arrived but the people of the capital hardly can enjoy the natural beauty of this season due to the high level of air pollution and dry weather.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), the level of air pollution in Dhaka as well as other parts of Bangladesh is very unhealthy. The air quality of recent times in Dhaka is the most polluted than any other times.
After visiting various areas of the city, this correspondent found that the amount of dust has increased mainly due to the construction work and excessive vehicular movements across Dhaka. According to experts, the city dwellers have been suffering from various diseases including lung-related disease due to the air pollution.
Dust is at everywhere in the city. People hardly can take fresh air in the city. Although the city corporations spread water on some city streets, the amount of dust is too big to be vanished.
Abdullah, a shopkeeper in Mohammadpur area told the Bangladesh Post “Customers do not want to shop from a roadside shop due to the excessive dust in the area. Vehicles are plying on the road continuously. The goods of my shop often get dusty. I clean the stuffs in my shop at least three to four times a day.”
Kulsuma Begum, a pedestrian of the area, told the Bangladesh Post, “Mohammadpur has become a dusty area for last five-six years. The bus stands and human hauler stands are always dusty. We hardly can roam around and walk on the roads due to this jeopardy.
A student named Kamran in Farmgate area of the capital told the Bangladesh Post, “My house is in Mirpur area. I have been suffering from the dust problem for a long time. The amount of dust has increased due to the construction work on the road.”
Arafat Zaman, a resident of Khilgaon, said, “I am wearing mask regularly to keep me safe from coronavirus and dust. When I return home at night I find my face covered by dust. The clothes also get dirty.”
Golam Kibria, a resident of Paltan area, said, "Many roads in Dhaka are dirty and dusty. The city corporations must take necessary steps to solve this problem soon.”
However, the meteorological department on Monday said in a 24-hour forecast that the weather across the country could remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky. But the temperature would be lower. They said that the rise in temperature is mainly due to the reduction in the amount of oxygen in the air and the presence of other harmful substances.
In such situation, the specialist doctors fear that the cases of bronchitis will increase. According to sources in various public and private hospitals in the city, the number of patients with cough and bronchitis has increased recently.
In this regard, Medicine specialist Dr. Jakir Hussain told the Bangladesh Post, “Dusty air can cause shortness of breath initially. Dust can enter the human body through respiration and gradually cause several diseases including lung cancer. Moreover, it is normal to have various complications of bronchitis.”
Meanwhile, the areas from Mirpur to Kazipara, Shewrapara, Farmgate, Kawranbazar, Banglamotor, Shahbag, Press Club, Paltan and Motijheel are now dusty due to the construction work and too much vehicular movement. Dust is being spread everywhere with the running wheels of vehicles.
However, construction, road digging and mismanagement of waste are being mainly blamed for dust pollution in Dhaka.
In this context, the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin told the Bangladesh Post, “We are working for the overall development of the environment including air and water quality and waste management in the country.”
Responding to a question, the Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam told the Bangladesh Post, “We have a plan to control dust pollution. Water is being sprinkled regularly in different places. Regular monitoring activities are being conducted by the DNCC.”
However, the awareness among the common people should be increased to curb the air pollution. Moreover, the high-emission of vehicles, factory dusts, household pollution and unplanned construction work need to be minimised to curb the problem. Tree plantation is a must to keep the ecological balance in the environment, experts said.
