Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Thursday said a task force will be formed very soon and certain areas will be declared as "no brickfield zones" in a bid to control air pollution.
“The government is making every effort to control air pollution. As part of this initiative, a task force will be formed very soon that will work until the next monsoon. Besides, certain areas are set to be declared as ‘No Brickfield Zones’ (to control air pollution),” she said while speaking at an inter-ministerial meeting at the Local Government Division conference room at the Secretariat.
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The meeting focused on strategies to combat air pollution in Dhaka and surrounding areas during the dry season. Recognising that air pollution cannot be resolved overnight, the meeting encouraged people to wear masks.
Rizwana said old vehicles will be removed from the streets within the next six months, and police have already been instructed to restrict open trucks from entering the capital.
“Sources of air pollution are being identified, and measures are being implemented. Strict steps are being taken to control dust from construction work, emissions from brick kilns, and vehicle exhaust,” she said.
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The adviser emphasised the importance of raising public awareness, enforcing laws, and enhancing monitoring systems to address the issue effectively.
She instructed the authorities concerned to spray water to reduce dust during construction, cover construction materials, and use protective barriers.
She stressed the need for regular use of vacuum trucks for cleaning roads, prompt road repairs, planting grass along roadsides, ensuring designated waste disposal areas, and banning the burning of waste.
At the meeting, LGRD Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said initiatives will be taken to recover canals and develop open spaces as playgrounds.
He put emphasis on integrated efforts to improve the country’s environmental quality.
The meeting decided that effective laws will be implemented to control pollution, and regular monitoring will be carried out. All necessary steps will be taken, including regular spraying of water to control dust.