DHAKA
\nAir pollution shortens the average Bangladeshi\u2019s life by 5.5 years, making it the world\u2019s most affected country, latest data shows, as the government vows to act by the year\u2019s end.
\nAccording to last week\u2019s Air Quality Life Index report by the University of Chicago\u2019s Energy Policy Institute, \u201cair pollution is the greatest external threat to life expectancy\u201d in Bangladesh, which is currently \u201cthe world\u2019s most polluted country.\u201d
\nAll of Bangladesh\u2019s 166.8 million people live in areas where the yearly average level of fine particulate pollution exceeds both the World Health Organization\u2019s guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air and the country\u2019s national limit of 35 micrograms. In places like the capital, Dhaka, the concentration was above 76 micrograms.
\n\u201cThe average Bangladeshi resident could live 5.5 years longer if particulate pollution met the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline,\u201d the report says. In Dhaka, the impact of toxic air is particularly severe, slashing the average life expectancy by 6.9 years.
\nThe report also shows that the air quality is quickly worsening despite the government\u2019s attempts to address the problem.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s very concerning for us. I doubt if there are any other countries in the world that witnessed such a grave situation,\u201d said Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, professor at the Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University in Dhaka.
\n\u201cAir pollution has reached such a severe level here that no research is needed to identify it, as one can see it with the naked eye.\u201d
\nSmog is an everyday reality for residents of Bangladeshi cities, as it shrouds them almost every morning. But what is more dangerous is the pollution that the eye cannot see: particulate matter, PM2.5 \u2014 tiny airborne particles less than 2.5 micrometers wide that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream.
\nPM2.5 levels in Bangladesh have been on a sharp rise since the late 1990s. The only time they dropped was during the coronavirus pandemic in 2022, but that trend did not last.
\n\u201cIn last year\u2019s AQLI report, our average life expectancy was reduced by 4.8 years, and this year it\u2019s reported as 5.5 years,\u201d Majumder said.
\n\u201cThe situation is very alarming. It shows that the state has failed to ensure a safe environment for the protection of its people. Bangladesh didn\u2019t reject this report, which means the Bangladeshi government also agrees with the findings of this report. The state can\u2019t evade the responsibility here.\u201d
\nAs the main sources of pollution, he listed increasing use of fossil fuels and fumes from brick kilns, which burn coal or wood to fire bricks.
\n\u201cEvery year, an additional 100,000 vehicles hit the streets of Dhaka. Many of these vehicles operate without proper fitness checks, contributing significantly to air pollution,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cTransboundary air pollution from neighboring countries is also affecting us. The lack of proper waste management, including open burning, is also a big factor.\u201d
\nIn response to the latest air pollution report, the government vows to step up its efforts by the year\u2019s end, although the task is not easy, with Dr. Ziaul Huq, director of air quality management at the Department of Environment, admitting that \u201cevery source of air pollution\u201d exists in Bangladesh\u2019s environment.
\n\u201cWe are trying to withdraw the vehicles without fitness checks from the streets, but we are yet to see any success in this sector,\u201d he told Arab News.
\n\u201cBig industries that are responsible for air pollution, we will bring them under constant monitoring. A device will be installed at their factory furnace, and our officials will continuously monitor the emission results centrally. If any deviation is found, we will intervene immediately. This work will begin within the next two months under the \u2018Bangladesh Clean Air\u2019 project.\u201d
\nWhile not all sources of pollution can be controlled, some, until now, have not been properly addressed.
\n\u201cIn the case of Dhaka, transboundary pollution is responsible for 30 percent to 35 percent of air pollution. This situation is beyond our control. From October to April, 35 percent of air pollution in Dhaka comes from outside the country,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cThirty-nine percent of Dhaka\u2019s air pollution is caused by the burning of waste and firewood. We couldn\u2019t address this issue properly. Our efforts are there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DHAKA Air pollution shortens the average Bangladeshi\u2019s life by 5.5 years, making it the world\u2019s most affected country, latest data shows, as the government vows to act by the year\u2019s end. According to last week\u2019s Air Quality Life Index report by the University of Chicago\u2019s Energy Policy Institute, \u201cair pollution is the greatest external threat […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":500314,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-500291","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n