Pollution
Dhaka air still ‘hazardous’, most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka's air quality continued to be in the 'hazardous' zone this morning, posing serious health risks to residents of the densely populated capital of Bangladesh.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 372 at 8:50 am today (January 26, 2023), Dhaka ranked first in the list of cities with the worst air.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous'.
Read more: Govt may provide loans for producing eco-friendly bricks: Environment Minister
Uzbekistan’s Tashkent and Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar occupied the second and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 288 and 219, respectively.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Read more: 2022 was fifth or sixth warmest on record as Earth heats up
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
Dhaka air 2nd most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka's air quality remains in the ‘very unhealthy' zone this morning. With an air quality index (AQI) score of 234 at 9:05 am today (January 24, 2023), the capital of Bangladesh ranked second in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Read: Air pollution 2nd biggest cause of deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, cost about 3.9-4.4% of GDP: World Bank
Uzbekistan’s Tashkent and Bosnia Herzegovina’s Sarajevo occupied the first and third places with AQI of 247 and 223 respectively.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Read: Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
Dhaka air 3rd most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka’s air has been ranked the third most polluted in the world this morning (January 16, 2023).
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 197 at 9:40 am on Monday, Dhaka’s air is deemed ‘unhealthy’.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Mumbai occupied the first and second places with an AQI of 234 and 211 respectively.
Read more: Dhaka's air quality stays 'unhealthy'
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Dhaka air 4th most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka's air quality is ‘unhealthy' this morning (January 07, 2023). With an air quality index (AQI) score of 200 at 9:40 am, Dhaka ranked fourth in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is ranked 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Three South Asian cities — India’ Mumbai, Pakistan’s Lahore and Afghanistan’s Kabul — occupied the first three spots with AQI of 225, 220, and 209 respectively.
Read more: Dhaka's air in 'very unhealthy' zone with AQI score of 209
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Read More: Air pollution 2nd biggest cause of deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, cost about 3.9-4.4% of GDP: World Bank
Dhaka air 2nd most polluted in the world this morning
Dhaka has been ranked the second most polluted city in the world with ‘very unhealthy’ air quality this morning.
Dhaka’s air quality index (AQI) score was 215 at 9:15 am today (December 08, 2022).
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’, while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks to residents.
Pakistan’s Lahore and Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar occupied the first and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 343 and 201, respectively.
Also read: Dhaka’s air quality ‘very unhealthy’
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’, particularly for sensitive groups.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five kind of pollutants – Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
Read More: Air pollution 2nd biggest cause of deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, cost about 3.9-4.4% of GDP: World Bank
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
The worsening air quality of Dhaka city is threatening the health and lives of its residents.
Dhaka’s air quality stays ‘unhealthy’ this morning
Air pollution still remains one of the top-most challenges for Bangladesh and Dhaka was ranked as the seventh most polluted city in the world with ‘unhealthy’ air quality on Thursday (December 1, 2022) morning.
Dhaka’s air quality index (AQI) score was 162 at 10am today.
Read more: Dhaka’s air quality stays ‘unhealthy’
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’, while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi and Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 409, 284 and 193, respectively.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Read more: Dhaka's air 4th most polluted in the world: AQI
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Noise pollution: The lethal soundtrack to life in Dhaka
There are numerous factors that have turned Dhaka into one of the most unliveable cities in the world, but one that manages to fly under the radar despite growing to alarming levels in recent years is noise pollution.
Most residents are vocal about traffic, the lack of green spaces, the toxic air we breathe (itself a form of pollution), poor public transport, the lack of utilities in some areas. And the authorities too are sensitive on these matters at least to some extent. They are acknowledged, even if they are not fixed.
The same cannot be said of noise pollution, according to Sheikh Kanta Reza, a development worker.
“Often I have to scold some motorcyclists or fight with another human hauler or private car driver for their habit of honking horns unnecessarily while waiting in traffic signals. The situation is worsening day by day,” says Kanta, who commutes from Jhigatola to Farmgate for work during the very busy office hours.
Read: WASA key reason behind pollution of Dhaka’s rivers, NRCC chairman says
Dhaka’s noise pollution is mainly caused by traffic horns, construction works, loudspeakers, political programmes, factory work and often generators. Together, they constitute a menace for which everyone suffers every minute of the day.
Lack of awareness about the existing laws among common people, indifference on the part of authorities concerned and even the law enforcers' convenience have made causing noise pollution a negligible crime - even though its effects on human health can be severe.
Use of hydraulic horns in motor vehicles in Bangladesh was banned by the High Court in 2017, as it can reach volumes of 120 decibels, and exposure to such levels for longer than 60 seconds can cause immediate injury and harm to hearing.
In reality, the High Court’s directive to the government was forgotten with time and most of the vehicles on Dhaka roads are still using them, according to Abdus Sobahan, General Secretary of Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Save the Environment Movement, popularly known as Poba).
Read: Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
Often the drivers speed away using those hydraulic horns, startling pedestrians who often become victims of unfortunate road accidents as a result, he said.
“Honking horns on roads has become an addiction for drivers of almost all vehicles in the city while some do it merely to exert their arrogance. But it impacts public health and mental health of children, elderly people and patients,” he added.
Tanjila Akter Lina, a private jobholder, said she hardly takes her two-year- old daughter out anymore.
“When I have to take her out with me anyway, I make sure to cover her ears with my hands as she gets too frightened,” she said.
Read: Climate Change: How Bangladesh is being affected by Global Warming?
WHO guidelines and relevant laws in Bangladesh
To prevent noise-induced hearing loss, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends maintaining noises below 70 dBA (adjusted decibels, a scale of measuring noise taking sensitivity of human ear to different sound frequencies into account) over 24-hours.
According to section 45 (2) of the Road Transport Act, 2018, no motor vehicle driver should produce any noise exceeding the noise level prescribed under sub-section (1), which provides that the government or any institution or body entrusted by the government from time to time may fix the noise limit and make it public through gazette notification.
According to the WHO, prolonged exposure to sounds above 60 decibels can cause temporary deafness and more than 100 decibels can cause permanent deafness.
Meanwhile, in Dhaka a busy road usually produces 70 or 80 decibels of noise, said Poba general secretary Abdus Sobahan.
Read: Light pollution threatens birds in cities
Regulations and reality
The government has divided five areas to fix the acceptable noise level according to the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2006. However the fact that those areas were not built in a planned manner to be distinguished and the issue was totally ignored by the government.
The rule says the acceptable sound level in the silent areas is 50 dB at daytime and 40dB at night, in residential areas its 55dB at day and 45dB at night, in the mixed areas 60dB at day and 50dB at night, in commercial areas 70dB at day and 60dB at night, and in the industrial areas 75dB for day and 70dB for night. The law says exceeding the maximum noise level in certain areas is a punishable offence but the laws are hardly ever enforced.
The noise pollution law has a provision that in residential areas from 6pm to 6am, no noises exceeding an acceptable level can be made at construction sites or projects. And it also mentions stone crushing machines cannot be used at any time of the day or night in these areas.
Yet contravening that provision, Dhaka Metropolitan Police in 2014 directed no freight trucks, covered vans, lorries, pickup vans except emergency exports goods carrying transports will be allowed to enter the capital from 8am to 10pm.
Read: Urban noise pollution, wildfires among biggest emerging environmental threats: UN
Though the directive gets violated on a regular basis, many have been using it as an excuse for conducting construction works in residential and all other areas through the night to meet project deadlines.
Anamika (given name), a resident of Moghbazar area, recently called 999 to complain about construction work running beside her building from 12am to 5am, disrupting the sleep of local residents.
“Though police came and asked them to stop the work, the Sub Inspector of Hatirjheel Police station who talked to me over phone at first tried to say that the late night construction work is legal. He said Rajuk has given them permission and what would they do as freight vehicles are not allowed to enter the city before night,” she said.
The last study to identify the sound level in the eight divisional cities was conducted by The Department of Environment (DoE) in 2017 which revealed shocking data of noise levels exceeding the acceptable levels for human ears by at least two times in all of them.
Read More: Noise pollution: Even the pandemic has failed to quiet Dhaka!
The survey was conducted at 70 points of Dhaka city and the recorded sound level reached up to 120-130dB at many points.
According to the study, the highest sound level was between 90-130 db in Dhaka’s 20 selected residential areas while it remained above 110-130 db in 20 selected mixed areas.
These areas include prime areas like Shyamoli, Tajmahal Road, Azimpur, New Market area, Shahjahanpur, Nikunja, Dhanmondi, Farmgate intersection, Karwan Bazar, Gulshan, Gulistan, Eskaton, Moghbazar intersection,Shantinagar, Jatrabari.
Among the 70 points, the lowest sound level was recorded at 100.8 at Road-18 of Uttara-14 while the highest noise level was recorded at Farmgate at 135.6 throughout the day and night time.
Read More: Noise pollution: A threat to Kunjaban's winged visitors?
According to the number of horns counted, mixed area Shyamoly was at top where 598 horns were counted in just 10 minutes and of them 158 were hydraulic horns back in 2017. Even the fact that the last study was done in 2017 goes to show how the problem is neglected.
In the absence of any study since, one can only imagine to what levels it has grown by now. But you can be sure it has grown.
Additional Director General (Administration) of Health Department Ahmadul Kabir told UNB that deafness, heart disease, irritability, lack of concentration among students, lack of sleep and various inconsistencies have become common among the capital’s residents that can be traced to extreme noise pollution
Noise pollution is also responsible for various problems of eyes and brain and due to continuous pollution, people can suffer from diabetes, gastric and even liver cirrhosis, he said.
Read More: Decibel Hell: Noise pollution ‘affecting 50 lakh people’ in Dhaka
Authorities’ excuses
When UNB asked Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin about the non-enforcement of existing laws he cited lack of manpower as the main reason behind it.
“It is hard to implement the laws to mitigate noise pollution due to lack of manpower in the Department of Environment (DoE),” he said.
In December 2019, the surrounding areas of Bangladesh Secretariat i.e. Zero Point, Paltan Mor, Secretariat Link Road were declared a 'no horn zone’ but this was never implemented and the drivers did not stop honking.
When the minister was asked about it he said that the mobile courts will be conducted again in the declared quiet areas.
Read More: How Can One Person Reduce Environmental Pollution?
“Even earlier, drivers of many vehicles, including many government vehicles, were fined,” he said. But clearly to no avail.
Dhaka’s air quality remains 'moderate'
Dhaka's air quality continues to be in the 'moderate' zone, all thanks to intermittent monsoon showers.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 95 at 8.57am, the densely populated metropolis ranked 14th in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.
Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Peru’s Lima and China’s Beijing occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 372, 153 and 149, respectively.
An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with an acceptable air quality. However, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
On the other hand, an AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Also read: Dhaka's air quality remains 'good'
AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
With the advent of winter, the city’s air quality starts deteriorating sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant particles from construction work, rundown roads, brick kilns and other sources.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
The air we breathe is polluted with a wide variety of pollutants that can have serious consequences on our health. Air pollution can cause respiratory problems, heart disease, stroke, asthma, and other illnesses in adults and children. But, have you ever wondered is an unborn child safe in its mother's womb? Stay with us to know how can air pollution create health issues in unborn children, neonates, and infants?
How Can Air Pollution Affect a Foetus in a Mother's Womb?
Air pollution has been shown to have a negative effect on both the unborn child and their mother. Air pollution can cause birth defects, decrease IQ levels in children, increase asthma rates, and increase the risk of death in both the mother and child. The effects of air pollution are serious, and it is important that pregnant women and their families be aware of the dangers it poses to their health.
Stillbirth
Stillbirth refers to a baby's death in late pregnancy weeks after 20 weeks. Stillbirth can occur at any time during the pregnancy but is most common in the third trimester. A study in 2018 found that there is a correlation between stillbirth and air pollution.
Read How Can One Person Reduce Environmental Pollution?
Low Birth Weight
Air pollution is a major global health threat, and it's having a profound impact on birth weight in children. Several studies found that air pollutants adversely affect to baby's birth weight. Also, due to air pollution, a baby's birth weight might drop to less than 2500 grams.
So, babies born to mothers who live in areas with high levels of air pollution are more likely to be born prematurely or with low birth weight. Low birth weight can lead to health problems later in life, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. In order to reduce the number of low birth weights, it is important for pregnant women to stay informed about the dangers of air pollution and to take steps to reduce their exposure.
Lung Development Issues
Air pollution has been linked to developmental problems in the lungs of unborn babies. Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy can decrease lung function in unborn children. It may develop childhood asthma and increase respiratory symptoms.
Read E-Waste Crisis: Effects of Electronic Waste on Environment and Human Health
Health Concerns in Pregnant Mothers
Air pollution is a major health concern for pregnant women. Air pollution can also increase the risk of preterm labour. And if a pregnant woman has exposure to indoor air pollution may have negative pregnancy outcomes at a higher rate. Indoor pollution can be toxins from cigarette smoke.
Impacts of Air Pollution on Neonates, and Infants
It can cause respiratory problems and fatalities in infants. However, the effects of air pollution on infants vary depending on the level of exposure and the infant's age. Infants who are very young or who have pre-existing medical conditions are at greater risk for serious health problems from air pollution.
Mortality Rate
Air pollution is a major public health concern across the globe. It can increase mortality in adults, and it has been shown to increase mortality in babies too. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is responsible for approximately 600 000 deaths in children under 5 years annually. This is a major problem because the number of babies in the world is increasing, and air pollution is becoming more and more common. Not only are babies at risk, but also the elderly and people with respiratory diseases.
Read Climate Change: How Bangladesh is being affected by Global Warming?
How Can One Person Reduce Environmental Pollution?
How can an individual take steps to prevent pollution? This question may seem simple, but it’s actually a big challenge that many people and nations around the world are trying to solve. According to the World Health Organization, pollution is a major cause of death worldwide. According to research, different kinds of pollution, such as air, water, soil, sound pollution, etc., are responsible for about 40% of the deaths around the world. And the World Health Organization (WHO) found out that household air pollution and ambient air pollution cause 7 million premature deaths annually worldwide. As the number of people living in cities increases, so does the amount of pollution. So, one should take proper steps to fight pollution.
Why Is It Necessary to Fight against Pollution at Individual Level?
When we think of pollution, we usually think of things that are released into the environment by large organisations or governments. However, some pollution is also caused by individuals. Pollution at the individual level can greatly impact the environment and public health.
Pollution at the individual level comes from a variety of sources such as vehicles, factories, and homes. Polluting activities can release harmful chemicals into the air, water, and soil. These pollutants can cause a wide range of problems, including acid rain, air pollution, and water contamination. So, it is necessary to stop pollution at the individual level to save the world.
Read Mass Bathing in Buriganga Sunday demanding pollution-free river
There are many ways people can fight against pollution from an individual level. We can use our voices to speak out against polluting companies, we can reduce pollution levels individually, we can work to create policies that reduce pollution, or we can use our money to support organisations that work to protect the environment.
Ways One Person Reduce Air, Water, and Sound Pollution
Pollution has been a huge issue for decades and is still going strong. Whether it be in the form of chemical warfare, nuclear fallout, toxic waste runoff, or acid rain, the list of harmful pollutants goes on and on.
While some causes are unavoidable (natural disasters like volcanoes and hurricanes), there are many things we can do to help lower the amount of pollution that comes from individual sources, such as our homes.
Read Solution to pollution: Sprinkling water on Dhaka's roads & construction sites?