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Making Dhaka liveable

Far-sighted steps needed to reduce Dhaka’s environmental hazards


Bangladeshpost
Published : 10 Sep 2020 08:58 PM | Updated : 11 Sep 2020 01:17 AM

Someone does not need to be an expert to understand Dhaka’s environmental hazards that have been overwhelming this heaving capital over the years. Pollution and environmental challenges have occupied life and livelihood of the Dhakaities to a greater extent. 

In Dhaka, with every breath we take in, we inhale a number of poisonous particulates. Dhaka’s air is highly polluted mainly due to smoke from motor and traffic and dust from construction works, rundown roads which are taking heavy toll on the public health. Air pollution used to take nearly 8,000 lives a year just three years back, now it causes death to 84,000 people every year. 

The city has five rivers - Balu and Sitalakhya on the eastern side, Turag and Buriganga on the western side and Dhaleshwari on the southern side. But Dhaka’s poor waste management system has been polluting the river for a long time. Also Dhaka’s infamous traffic, industrial pollution and noise pollution have been overwhelming the environment of Dhaka, a city considered to be one of the least liveable in the world.


It is time for the policymakers to understand and

 underscore the need for formulating new policies

 to improve Dhaka’s living standard


Experts fear that due to poor management of basic urban and environmental issues, Dhaka is going to face more intense environmental hazards in the coming days. Hence, city authorities must devise a comprehensive action and strategic plan to address all forms of pollution.  Experts blame lack of coordination among stakeholders, ministries and agencies and non-enforcement of laws for such a poor management of the city affairs. With the increasing population growth, the situation is getting worse, but no considerable effort has been made to improve it. 

It is annoying to know that that the two city corporations and different government bodies also could not play any effective role in checking noise and sound pollution, keeping the city clean, controlling traffic jams and visual pollution, maintaining parks, increasing greeneries, saving the rivers and ensuring better transport service.

We, therefore, feel that all the city authorities including two city corporations should map out appropriate plans, ensure good governance and strictly enforce laws to reduce the extreme levels of pollution in Dhaka. It’s time for the policymakers to understand and underscore the need for formulating new policies to improve Dhaka’s living standard.