Dhaka’s air pollution persists riding on half-measures

DHAKA’S air has remained ‘unhealthy’ for three consecutive weeks despite mitigation initiatives that the environment ministry and relevant public agencies launched early November, which is a cause for concern. Even after the agencies ran mobile courts against vehicles and brick kilns emitting black smoke, put in efforts to stop open-air storage of sand for construction and sprinkled water on roads, the Air Quality Index ranked Dhaka’s air as ‘unhealthy’ from November 6 to 28. The environment department’s index analyses the concentration of five major pollutants, including the fine particulate matter PM2.5, in the air and it categorised Dhaka’s air as unhealthy on locations with scores ranging between 151 and 200. ‘Unhealthy’ air quality is a risk for everyone, although sensitive groups such as children, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases may face more serious effects. The environment department data show that at least nine mobile courts, run from November 3 to 19, filed at least 34 cases against vehicles plying Manik Mia Avenue and on roads in Shyamali, Kakrail, Tikatuli and Azimpur areas and realised Tk 279,500 in fines. The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority sprinkled about 70,000 litres of water on the roads in Dhaka’s north.

The environment department and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha also visited construction sites and motivated site managers to cover sand with tarpaulin sheets. Yet, almost nothing worked to improve the air quality of Dhaka. Experts say that sporadic action and episodic drives cannot control air pollution or improve the quality of air. They, rather, believe that it can only happen if regulatory authorities and line ministries implement a well thought-out, comprehensive plan in this direction. A 2025 study, published in the GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, also blames traffic congestion and tainted fuels along with dust generated because of the re-suspension of soil for air pollution in Dhaka, especially during the dry season and windy conditions. A 2019 study finds that 500 tonnes of dust settle on the ground in Dhaka and 2,000 tonnes float in the sky every day in Dhaka in the winter. The government, meanwhile, in September declared Dhaka’s outskirts of Savar as a degraded airshed, with pollution consistently exceeding national safety limits and warranting stricter environmental regulations, but the efforts have almost failed after 15 of 107 illegal brick kilns were closed amidst protests by brick kiln owners and workers. Green campaigners say that the declaration of areas with exceedingly high air pollution as degraded airsheds often risks becoming symbolic.

The environment ministry is reported to have started working to control air pollution, with instructions for the shutdown of all illegal brick kilns at Savar and Ashulia, containment of open-air storage of sand for construction and a ban on burning of fallen leaves and garbage. But all this seems to be meaningless unless the government shows the will.