Environment, Forests, Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Monday said the government has taken a series of proactive steps aiming to contain air pollution, with a strong focus on controlling dust pollution in Dhaka.
Talking to journalists at the Bangladesh Secretariat here following a meeting with a visiting team of Chinese air pollution experts, she outlined the government's comprehensive plan addressing immediate, mid-term and long-term solutions under the Bangladesh Clean Air Project (BCAP).
The adviser said as part of short-term measures, all road repair works in Dhaka are targeted to be completed before winter.
Surface covering, fencing, and water spraying systems will be implemented to control dust, she said.
Rizwana said additional initiatives include using watering carts, land hardening, and enforcing a "zero soil" policy to prevent dust from exposed surfaces.
To curb vehicular pollution - a major contributor to poor urban air quality, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) will remove outdated vehicles and introduce 250 new ones, she said.
Plans are also in place to establish 10 automatic vehicle inspection centres to enforce emission standards, she added.
"Looking ahead, a working group will be formed in consultation with the Chinese experts to develop long-term strategies, the environment adviser said.
Rizwana stressed the importance of accurate data collection and analysis for policy formulation and sustainable progress.
She said mid- and long-term goals include establishing an advanced air quality emission monitoring system, aligning emission standards with global norms, introducing sanitary landfills and waste incineration plants, and promoting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cleaner cooking.
Noting that tax incentives for environmentally friendly practices and technologies are also under review, the adviser said under BCAP, the Department of Environment (DoE) will launch a continuous emission monitoring system for high-polluting industries and conduct training and awareness programmes nationwide.
Meanwhile, she said, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) will install road fencing and introduce 50 electric vehicles to promote cleaner transport.
A Japan-funded initiative will establish eight real-time air quality monitoring stations to support evidence-based policymaking, and the BEST project will also be implemented to complement these efforts, she said.
Rizwana expressed optimism about the collaboration with the Chinese expert team, noting that their expertise will significantly enhance Bangladesh's capacity to fight air pollution.
She reaffirmed the government's strong commitment to creating a cleaner and healthier environment for all.
Dr Farhina Ahmed, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Professor Yu Zhao, Executive Dean, School of Environment, Nanjing University; Dr Haikun Wang, Vice Dean, Nanjing-Helsinki Institute in Atmospheric and Earth System Sciences; and Dr Tengyu Liu, Associate Professor, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University; were also present at the meeting.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
