Environment in distress as pollution keeps choking country

This year in April, Bangladesh experienced the longest heatwave in recorded history and it was the most widespread as well. 

At present, mild heatwaves are sweeping over Dhaka and Rajshahi divisions, and 9 other districts. Not only that, the RealFeel temperature is 4 to 8 degree celsius higher than the actual recorded temperature of the country.

Environmentalists and meteorologists said the weather pattern in Bangladesh is changing rapidly, pointing to the increase in heatwave duration and intensity, as well as heavy rainfall in some areas.

Moreover, research from various national and international organisations shows that the country's environmental pollution, including air, water, plastic, and noise pollution is increasing at an alarming rate. 

Experts warn that without strict measures to increase forest land, protect water bodies, and prevent air pollution, Bangladesh's environmental balance is at risk.

World Bank's Bangladesh Country Environmental Analysis (CEA) 2023 shows that, the environmental factors, including air pollution, unsafe water, poor sanitation, and lead exposure, have inflicted considerable economic losses upon Bangladesh, totalling 17.6% of GDP in 2019.

Accordingly, Bangladesh lost nearly $62 billion in 2019 due to environmental factors. Of the factors, household and outdoor air pollution alone accounted for losses amounting to 8.32% of GDP equivalent to nearly $32 billion.

The report also finds that these environmental challenges contribute to over 272,000 premature deaths and 520 crore days of accumulated illness annually.

About 26% deaths are related to environmental pollution - air pollution causes two thirds of them.  Most of the deaths were caused by noninfectious diseases linked to air pollution, such as Heart Disease, Stroke, Lung Cancer and Respiratory Infections, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

The air pollution crisis

From November 2023 to April 2024, over 80% of the days in each month recorded air quality levels deemed "unhealthy" for the general population, with an air quality index (AQI) exceeding 150. Up until last week's tropical cyclone, Dhaka did not experience a single day of "good" air quality – meaning an AQI of less than 50 – during this period.

A study by the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) found that Dhaka's temperature has risen by 3-4 degrees celsius over the past seven years, with Mohakhali and Gulistan experiencing the most significant temperature hikes.

The report shows that in 2017, the average temperature in the Dhaka North City Corporation area was 33.39 degrees Celsius, which increased to 37.38 degrees Celsius by 2024. Dhaka South City Corporation saw an average temperature increase from 33.50 degrees Celsius in 2017 to 36.54 degrees Celsius in 2024.

CAPS Chairman Prof Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder told The Business Standard, "Gazipur ranks first in air pollution, followed by Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Habiganj. Construction areas and coastal districts with coal-based plants experience the highest pollution levels."

246,000 hectares of forested area lost in 23 years 

Any country needs at least 25% of forested area to maintain its natural environment but Bangladesh has only 15.58%, according to the government, which plans to increase it to 16% within 2030. 

From the World Resources Institute operated platform Global Forest Watch, Bangladesh has lost approximately 246,000 hectares of forested area from 2001 to 2023, a 13% decrease compared to 2000, contributing to 133 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

However, despite the government's goal to increase forest cover, deforestation continues. In 2017, Bangladesh had the largest reduction in forested area, 24,400 hectares and just last year, it was 17,800 hectares.

Forest Watch data also shows, In Bangladesh, the top 1 region were responsible for 94% of all tree cover loss between 2001 and 2023. This region had the most tree cover loss at 231 thousand hectares. In this time Sylhet lost 8,366 hectares, 5,657 hectares in Rangpur, 323 hectares in Rajshahi, 203 hectares in Khulna, and about 99 hectares in Barishal.

There were 12 deforestation alerts reported in Bangladesh between 27 May to 3 June, covering a total of around 1 hectares of which none were high confidence alerts detected by a single system and none were alerts detected by multiple systems.

The Bangladesh Forest Department said that 36 districts have government forest land, while 28 districts, mostly in the north, have none. 

The US Embassy in Dhaka installed an air quality monitoring system in 2016, and it has recorded air quality every single hour since then.

The results show a remarkably consistent trend.  Every year starting in October, the air quality index (AQI) begins to worsen.  It reaches its worst levels in January, and stays at those levels until March or April.

From May to September – the period we are in now – it improves somewhat, but it is still often at a level that is considered unhealthy for people.

Water pollution and our rivers situation

A study by the River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC) last year identified the most polluted rivers in Bangladesh as Labondaho in Gazipur, Haridhoa in Narsingdi, and Sutang in Habiganj. The study also noted that data from 56 rivers collected between February 2022 and February 2023 indicated intolerable levels of pollution across all rivers, however, the three rivers were comparatively more polluted.

Moreover, Dhaka Wasa has only 8-9% sewage lines in the city and this inadequate sewage infrastructure contributes significantly to water pollution, with over 90% of sewage waste discharged directly into canals and rivers.

Dhaka Wasa officials said that, "there some projects are ongoing and when it will come to the operation then most of the area will come under cover on suage line in Dhaka city."

A recent study from the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) found the presence of toxic PFAS chemicals (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals), commonly referred to as "forever chemicals", in rivers, lakes, and tap water in Dhaka, as well as in clothing, posing severe health risks.

In this study, the existence of more than tolerable level of pollution was found in all 56 rivers, but those three rivers are comparatively more polluted. Plastic and industrial waste pollution has spread not only in cities or suburbs, but also in rivers in remote areas. Rivers flow, so pollution spreads from one river to another with the current.

Testing the water of 56 rivers they found some interesting insights into the state of river pollution in the country. For example, in the case of the Buriganga, Turag, Tongi canal and Balu, they found that the biggest polluters are either the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa), city corporations or industrial factories.

Only a few households dump their waste into the rivers as they do not have any waste management system facilitated by the city corporations. The reality is quite similar for other rivers.

From July 2021 data on Sea Smart School, within 12 top polluted rivers in the world Buriganga place was 4th.

May 29, they published the study report.

In the study, there 31 samples collected from a total of 8 areas of Dhaka in 2019 and 2022 were tested. The presence of PFAS was found in 27 of 31 surface water samples (87%). Of these, 18 samples (58%) contained one or more of the globally banned PFAS chemicals PFOA, PFOS, and/or PFHxS, and 19 samples (61%) had PFAS levels exceeding the proposed EU regulatory limit.

Plastic ban rule only for paper?

The Bangladesh government has more law and rules for management of plastic waste. There are several laws and regulations that may aid the reduction of plastic waste, such as the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2021 and the Jute Packaging Act, 2010. The primary environmental legislation in this regard is the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act (BECA), 1995.

In 2002, the BECA was amended to use Section 6A which empowers the government, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to impose bans on the manufacturing, production, display, marketing and sale of all or any kind of polythene shopping bags, among others, in any specific part of the country or generally all over the country.

Contravention of an order passed under Section 6A is an offence punishable by fine and/or imprisonment.

The World Bank's latest Country Environmental Analysis (CEA) report which published on March where finds that each person in Dhaka generates 22.5 kilograms of plastic waste annually. From this amount there a big part of this waste is dumped in water bodies and rivers. The number is more than three times the national average for urban areas.

Experts said that plastic pollution not only causes air, water and soil contamination but also public health risks like the recent dengue outbreak through the clogging of drainage, and microplastic contamination in our food chain.

From the world bank data, the plastic recycling industry consists mainly of small, informal businesses with very limited legal recognition and government oversight. They suffer from low collection rates and the informal nature of the recycling sector. In 2018, among the 3,000 plastics recycling facilities, only 200 were registered.

The recycling rate for plastics in Dhaka is 37 percent. Around 5,400 workers are engaged with plastic recycling sector.

From business consulting firm Light Castle Partners report shows that the plastic industry suggests that Bangladesh ranks 10th in mismanaging plastic waste, and in Dhaka, between 2005 and 2020, daily plastic waste has seen a spike from 178 tonnes to a staggering 646 tonnes.

What do authorities and experts say?

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury yesterday said, "Guidelines have already been formulated to reduce topsoil use in brick kilns and increase the use of blocks in government constructions. Also, coordinated activities have been undertaken to restore encroached forest land."

"A total of 217,402-hectare blocks and 30,252 seedling km of forested area have been increased since 2009 to 2023. Strip gardens have been created and 11.21 million saplings have been distributed and planted.," he further said.

"This year, 83,327,000 saplings will be planted throughout the country during the monsoon season," he added.

Minister said, "To reduce the use of top soil in brick kilns, guidelines have been formulated for use of blocks instead of bricks in government construction works. Coordinated activities have been undertaken to restore encroached forest land. As a result, from October, 2020 to April, 2024, about 30,000 acres of forest land across the country has been cleared and afforestation has been completed."

He also said, "Among the 10 most polluted rivers in the world, 2 of them are in Bangladesh - Padma and Jamuna. Here not only our country's polythene and plastic, but our neighbour countries also have pollution.

"Our 100-day program has extended producer responsibility. That is, those who use plastic products, we will be responsible for the pollution. For that I will assign them an economic value. It will also be said how they will reduce the use of plastic in production and design.

The minister said, we are trying to set up a table together with the local government department, the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Health, the RAJUK and the two City Corporations to decide which places we can afforest in Dhaka city and what trees we can plant.

We have lost green areas, water bodies too. Therefore, we think that these should be included in the main plan for urban development. What we can do is determine what percentage should be.

Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) General Secretary Alamgir Kabir told TBS, "We have been campaigning for environmental protection for the past 24 years, yet we have not been able to save even the Buriganga River."

"Every year, with the progress of development, 0.5% of our agricultural and forest land is being destroyed. Although we have laws to protect the environment, their enforcement is lacking. Without the genuine commitment of various agencies, it is impossible to protect the environment," he added.

He said, "Dhaka does not have enough playgrounds and parks, and there are no effective measures taken by organizations to protect water bodies. Dhaka's 45 canals could not fully recover even one. A portion of the waste returns to its former form shortly after removal.

He also said, "Dishonest politicians, dishonest bureaucrats in the country are standing in the way of good governance of the people and protecting the environment."

CAPS Chairman Prof Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder told TBS, "Due to changes in weather and climate, 13 to 14 districts in the country are facing drought, while 19 coastal districts are experiencing storms and tidal surges. 

"Additionally, desertification is a new concern. [Desertification is the degradation process by which a fertile land changes itself into a desert by losing its flora and fauna and this can be caused by drought, deforestation, climate change, human activities or improper agriculture]."

"Areas like Naogaon, Rajshahi, and Chapainawabganj in the Barind Tract are facing desertification. We are seeing desert-like weather conditions in many parts of the country. Winters are becoming colder, and summers are becoming hotter," he added.

He also said, "The global temperature has increased by 1.5 degrees Celsius in the last decade and it is estimated that if this trend continues, the temperature will increase by another 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. As a result, a large part of Bangladesh is said to be submerged under water."