The New Nation - Internet Edition

THE Franco Bangladesh Association of Scholars and Trainees (FBAST) and the French Embassy in Dhaka at a recently organised seminar on the air quality informed that Dhaka is now ranked as the third most polluted city in the world after Karachi and Cairo. How diesel-run buses and trucks are now responsible for 85 per cent of the pollution with the rest coming from private cars and CNG-operated taxi cabs, they observed.

From the rising clamour of citizens, the last elected government dealt with the issue by banning the air polluting two-stroke three-wheelers from the city. The move produced dramatic results and Dhaka's rating also significantly improved. But regrettably, that sound decision was not followed up with enthusiasm. It was important to further push through the clean up by taking similar tough decisions in restricting polluting trucks and buses, gradually. Policing should have also been made more vigilant against polluting vehicles.

But the relatively loose regulatory atmosphere paved the way for losing the zeal to ensure a clean environment to city dwellers. Thus, air pollution has again turned formidable in the city and Dhaka could soon get back the odious distinction as the most air polluted city. Media reports some time ago stated that air pollution in Dhaka afflicts on average 150,000 people every year. A recent media report quoting the results of a study claimed that one-fourth of all school going children in the city are suffering in various degrees from asthmatic problems. There is no way to take the pollution-related costs lightly. The budget even for the modest health care it provides to non affluent people, is getting strained on this score. The costs borne by people directly to treat their various illnesses from air pollution are soaring. It is thus imperative to address this issue vigorously.