Mentioning that a meeting has been called to find out how to protect people from the worsening air pollution, the minister said subsequent actionswill be taken based on the decisions to be taken at the meeting.
Shahab Uddin made the announcement before an inter-ministerial meeting on air and sound pollution in capital Dhaka at his ministry.
“There’re many reasons for air pollution in Dhaka. There must be coordination in building public and private infrastructure, and among the agencies working with utility services. Proper management of various projects, including the elevated expressway, must be ensured,” the minister said.
Mentioning that the air pollution in Dhaka city corporations is deteriorating day by day, the minister said the responsibility lies with the Department of Environment to solve the problem.
Md ShahabUddin said the Department of Environment and the World Bank published a research report on the sources of air pollution in Bangladesh in March, 2019.
According to the research findings, the three main sources are brick kilns, fumes of vehicles and dust from construction sites.
Pointing out that dust particles are contributing to the city’s worsening air pollution due to construction work without putting the site under cover, the minister highlighted the need to take effective steps to control air pollution in Dhaka by all government and private agencies or organisations.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey in 2013 which shows that the country has a total of 4,995 brick kilns, Shahab Uddin said.
Later in 2018, he said, the Department of Environment conducted a survey which shows that the number is 7,902. Among them, 2,487 brick kilns were set up in Dhaka division alone.
According to the survey, the total number of motor vehicles in the country was 369,677 that rose to 619,654 in 2018, the minister added.
Reflection of proper environmental management while transporting and storing soil, sand and other materials, timely repair of roads and regularly sprinkling water to reduce air pollution must be seen on major infrastructural and development projects like the elevated expressway and metrorail, he added.