Gazipur air most polluted in Bangladesh: Study

Gazipur is one of the most polluted districts with the lowest quality of air in Bangladesh, reveals a recent study published by the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) – a research organisation of Stamford University.

Unveiling the study’s findings on Thursday at a press brief in the National Press Club, CAPS Director Prof Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder said the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in Gazipur is 263.51 micrograms per cubic metre, the highest recorded in the country.

Dhaka ranked as the second most polluted district with PM2.5 concentration of 252.93 micrograms, followed by Narayanganj with 222.45 micrograms. The level of pollution in these three districts is 4-5 times higher than the government’s national standard of 65 micrograms.

PM2.5 is a particle which is 20 times thinner than a human hair. It can easily enter into the lungs through inhalation, and human lungs cannot expel the particles due their microscopic size.

Around 81 researchers took air quality readings throughout Bangladesh from January 6 to April 6 last year. According to the study, clean air has been detected in 10 districts, as 0-56 micrograms is considered as healthy air quality according to the national standard.

In terms of good air quality, the cleanest air has been detected in Madaripur district with 49.08 micrograms PM2.5 concentration, where Patuakhali and Meherpur ranked second and third with 51.42 and 53.37 microgram PM2.5 respectively.

The national particulate matter concentration in the air was 102.41 micrograms, which is 1.57 times higher than the acceptable standard.

Sylhet division worst in air quality

The Sylhet division has the most polluted air with a PM concentration of 140.24 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Chittagong with 136.02 micrograms and Dhaka with 133.85 micrograms respectively.

Among eight divisional cities, Rajshahi is the cleaner city with 56.31 micrograms of PM concentration. Dhaka is the most polluted at 252.93 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Chittagong, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Barishal and Rangpur.

On average, PM2.5 concentration in eight divisional cities was 115.07 microgram, which is 1.77 times higher than the Bangladesh Standard. Researchers recorded air quality in 3,163 places in 64 districts, and compiled data from 60 areas in each district to make the assessment.

To compile research data, researchers collected 18.18 per cent samples from commercial areas, followed by 16.79 per cent from sensitive, 13.91 per cent residential, 13.66 per cent industrial, 13.28 per cent rural, 12.87 per cent mixed, and 11.32 per cent areas adjacent to roads.

Coastal districts also contain a large volume of particulate matter in the air. Among the 19 coastal districts, only Patuakhali was found to have healthy air. Besides, no hilly district had ideal air quality, as the PM level there was up to 3.38 times higher than the standard amount.

At Thursday’s event, Prof Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder said this is the first comprehensive study that includes all districts. “We recorded data from all types of areas including residential, commercial, and rural regions. Thus, the reliability of our findings is high,” he added.

Dr MH Chowdhury Lelin, medicine specialist and director of Health and Hope Hospital, said, “Polluted air can cause asthma, infertility, and trigger kidney problems and miscarriages.

“Diseases caused by air pollution reduce the average life expectancy in Bangladesh from seven years to seven months.”

They made short, medium and long term recommendations to fight against air pollution, including watering the roads, shutting down the illegal brick kilns, regulating the number of private vehicles on roads, covering construction sites, enacting the clean air act, and creating a cadre service in environment protection.

Stamford University Bangladesh’s Vice-Chancellor Ali Naqi presided over the press conference.