Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder :
It is well-known to all that finding another atmospherically blessed planet like earth is unlikely. And yet, we are consciously and continually polluting the atmosphere for our temporary affluence and profit. It was found in a global report called Air Quality Life Index- 2023 (AQLI-2023) published by the Energy Policy Institute of University of Chicago that Bangladesh has become the most polluted country in the world. Apart from that, different districts have different fluctuating air quality. Gazipur was the most polluted district in Bangladesh. Gazipur’s air was found to have 89.8 µg/m3 of particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5) or less. This value is 18 times higher than the standard (5 µg/m3) set by World Health Organization (WHO), and 6 times higher than the annual recommended standard level of Bangladesh. The annual recommended standard level till July 26, 2022, was set to be 15 µg/m3. Among all districts, the air quality of Sylhet city with PM2.5 concentration of 48.5 µg/m3 which is 9.7 times higher than the WHO air quality standard.
Air pollution is not a new concept for us as we’ve gotten exposure to it since the year 1990. Back in that time, unplanned decorative development activities were seen to have a rise alongside the stock market in various fields in Dhaka city. Renovation and development of the main roads in Dhaka accelerated, while the price of private cars was brought more within reach for a class people by unexpected gains in the stock market and low interest lending schemes by banks. Generally, we have gradually gained familiarity with air pollution since 1995. As it kept increasing, the pollution eventually became intolerable for us in 1999, which leads the government to make a decision in favour of the citizens. This was to introduce unleaded fuel and the banning of leaded fuel. Since this initiative, it resulted in a 40% decrease of air pollution within a week in January 2003. Due to a single good decision, the air quality of Bangladesh had improved tremendously. But this didn’t last too long as the pollution levels started increasing at an alarming rate after starting few developments activity in Dhaka city. The Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) conducting a research on AQI and PM?.? concentrations in Dhaka over seven years period, from 2016-2022 data provided by US Embassy in Dhaka. The research findings found that highest air pollution level reach in the year 2021 and 2022. The average AQI in 2021 was 159, and in 2022 it was 163. The highest concentrations of PM?.? were also observed in the years 2021 and 2022, reaching to an average of 94.6 µg/m³ and 94.1 µg/m³ respectively. On the other hand, the lowest average AQI was recorded in the years 2017 and 2020, which were 146 and 143, respectively and lowest average PM?.? concentrations were recorded in the years 2016 and 2017, which were 67.7 µg/m³ and 49.9 µg/m³, respectively but it also several times higher than the standard of 15 µg/m³.
There are a handful of severely significant impacts air pollution has on the society of our country as a whole. One of the most major ones are the health-related impacts of air pollution. Being in contact with and inhaling contaminated air can result in heart diseases, coughing, strokes, lung cancer, asthma, bronchitis, nausea, tuberculosis, kidney diseases, high blood pressure, by born defects, deteriorating mental health, cardiac arrest, liver diseases, health problems in pregnant mothers, throat and tracheal infections, skin diseases, breathing difficulties, pneumonia and many other such complicated issues. According to Health Effects Institute of the United States, up to 1 lac 22 thousand and 4 hundred people pass away each other in Bangladesh due to effects caused by air pollution. As per the 2018 report for the World Bank, 46 thousand Bangladeshis die every year because of air pollution. The report also mentions that ten thousand of these Bangladeshis are from Dhaka city alone. According to AQLI-2023 the total average expected lifespan of the world’s population has decreased by 2 years and 4 months. On the other hand, the average expected lifespan of Bangladesh’s population has decreased 6 years and 8 months. In accordance with AQLI-2023, PM2.5 is the second largest threat to Bangladeshi people’s life span.
The mental health effects that air pollution can have been also equally significant as it does on our physical health. We tend to avoid polluted areas by nature. Due to being forced into acquaintance with extremely polluted air as it is unavoidable at this point, we often hold up a sour mood and behave badly with others subconsciously. According to recent reports, 71 percent of Bangladeshi people suffer from depression due to the unavoidable air pollution. Being the residents of the most polluted city in the world, reasons to be depressed make more sense than remaining mentally happy and satisfied.
The other major draw back we face as residents is when it comes to our wallets. Financial issues are a significant problem in developing countries like ours. On top of which, having to visit the hospital to seek medical help due to all the health effects that air pollution takes a toll on our financial condition. In addition, the tests required in order to detect and diagnose the diseases are extremely expensive. If people fail to go to work due to being unfit and sick, it directly affects their income as well. Road incidents, stunted agriculture, etc. also have large amounts of impacts on the financial conditions of the common citizens. People continue to use their car air conditioning even during winter in order to avoid polluted air, which means higher fuel costings for them as well as increased damages to the air quality.
Air pollution does just affect the human population of our country. It also results in massive damages to the animal and plant populations. For example, migratory birds were a lot more commonly seen in the skies above lakes of our country along with the local birds. But in recent years, due to the air in the sky being so contaminated, this beautiful scene has become very rare and can only be spotted in very specific areas. In a study by Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) called Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI), sensitivity due to air pollution had been found in samples of three different plant species. If APTI falls, the growth of these plants gets stunted and their fertility is affected.
Air pollution also causes damages to architectural structures as well. Air pollution from industrial on the bank of the Jamuna River is causing gradual degradation of the marble rocks of the Taj Mahal. The buildings’ structural integrity and paint in Dhaka city are getting eroded quite quickly as well.
Climate change and air pollution go hand in hand. The burning of fossil fuels and the industries in our country emit huge amounts of harmful gases into the atmosphere. These gases include a dangerous amount of back carbon, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFCs, and ozone gas. These gases are known as greenhouse gases and result in global warming. Among these gases, black carbon, carbon dioxide and methane are also called Short Live Climate Pollutants (SLCPs). No matter how aware we are of their effects, we keep burning fossil fuels for our short-lived conveniences and eventually contributing to climate change. According to a 2014 World Bank research, Bangladesh emits 0.46 metric tons of carbon per person. In the Global Climate Rink Index, Bangladesh is number seven among the climate change affected countries.
As we have seen and understood, air pollution directly and indirectly damages all aspects of life on earth and more. If this is to be mitigated, we must become more aware of these impacts and work effectively of ways to avoid them. Gaining knowledge isn’t enough anymore, implementing the studied methods is just as significant.
(The writer is Dean, Faculty of Science, Stamford University Bangladesh).