The interim government has announced a series of short, mid, and long-term initiatives aimed at reducing air pollution in Dhaka and its surrounding areas, following a high-level taskforce meeting held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
“We have decided to formulate integrated short, medium and long-term work plans to combat air pollution,” stated Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Water Resources, who chaired the meeting held on May 14, reports BSS.
The taskforce, formed to devise and implement strategies to control air pollution, outlined several concrete actions.
Among them are the introduction of modern equipment for cleaning waste and roads, the plantation of eco-friendly trees, and targeted green coverage in bare zones of the Dhaka North and South, Narayanganj, and Gazipur city corporations.
A committee will be formed to coordinate tree plantation efforts, comprising representatives from the city corporations, forest department, environment department, housing and public works department, Armed Forces Division, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
Under a pilot project, the interim government will cover open spaces with grass and green cover to curb dust emissions.
To ensure sustainability, youth and civil society groups will be involved in nurturing the trees. The best caretakers will be incentivised annually based on performance evaluations.
Dhaka North and South city corporations have also been directed to sprinkle water on roads twice daily to suppress dust pollution. Waste removal and street sweeping will follow fixed schedules to improve public convenience.
Among the other directives, the meeting decided to prohibit open truck transportation of sand, mandating packaging to reduce dust dispersion. It also committed to mandating the use of blocks instead of bricks in all public construction works — except roads — by the end of 2025.
According to the taskforce’s decision, burning of waste in open areas will attract legal action, and awareness-building has been prioritised. A new chapter on air pollution and citizens’ responsibilities will be incorporated into school textbooks along with sermons on cleanliness will be encouraged in Friday Jummah prayers at mosques nationwide.