Don't have magical powers to control air pollution overnight: Rizwana
If anyone can solve it immediately, please step forward. I will step down and let someone else take over the responsibility, says the environment adviser
Air pollution in Bangladesh is a serious issue, but the solution will not come overnight, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change today (12 January).
"I don't have a magical power to fix it overnight. If anyone can solve it immediately, please step forward. I will step down and let someone else take over the responsibility," she said during the inaugural session of the Air Quality Research and Environmental Policy Discussion at the Faculty of Science, University of Dhaka.
The environment adviser was the chief guest at the event organised by the US Embassy in Dhaka. Her comment comes as Dhaka's air was classified as "unhealthy," with an AQI score of 185 at 8:55am this morning.
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"What can we do other than cause panic? We advise people, especially sensitive ones, to wear masks," she said.
"This is the first time in Bangladesh's history that the cabinet discussed air pollution, which means that we have attached due importance to the problem," added the environment adviser.
Mentioning that road dust, waste burning, and old vehicles contribute to air pollution, she said the ministry has formed a taskforce with action groups to work on solutions.
"Challenges also include the absence of a city mayor and insufficient funding for bus replacements. Behavioural changes are necessary, such as mask usage and proper waste disposal," Rizwana said.
However, she added, standardising fuel quality, upgrading, and modernising our refineries will take time and require a substantial investment.
"From my ministry, I can assure you that the uncovered road dividers in Dhaka will soon be covered with at least grass to mitigate one source of pollution," the environment adviser said.
Mentioning that her ministry sat with the Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Roads, and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority to form a taskforce, she said this taskforce has established 14 action groups that include experts.
"They are tasked with visiting different parts of Dhaka to identify roads needing construction to prevent pollution from deteriorating road surfaces," she added.
