Academics and activists at a discussion on Sunday demanded steps to make real-time information publicly available and effective measures to check the pollution.
The United States embassy in Bangladesh organised the discussion titled 鈥楢ir quality research and environmental policy discussion鈥� at the science faculty of Dhaka University.
Adviser to the environment and forest ministry Syeda Rizwana Hasan iterated the government鈥檚 commitment to addressing air pollution and mentioned steps, including controlling road dust and the burning of waste.
Professor Ahmed Kamruzzaman Mazumder of Stamford University at the discussion said that in Bangladesh published daily air quality reports were one day old. But if these reports are real-time, he said, people can be informed about the state of the pollution and its potential impact on their health, which, in turn, would help them take cautionary steps.
The sources of air pollution are still the same as the responsible agencies have taken hardly any pragmatic steps to control those sources, he also said, adding that particulate matters, brick kilns, burning of biomass, and trans-boundary pollution should be addressed soon.
But she said that implementing long-term solutions like standardising fuel and modernising refineries require significant investment and time.
This was the first time in the country鈥檚 history that the Cabinet had discussed air pollution, signifying the importance the interim government had attached to the issue.
Dhaka University pro-vice chancellor and economist Professor Sayema Haque Bidisha said that air pollution is taking a heavy toll on public health and economy as well.
Professor James J Schauer from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, was a special guest in the discussion chaired by Professor Abdus Salam, dean of Dhaka University鈥檚 science faculty.
Among others Amy Cass, economic officer at the US embassy in Dhaka, Professor Benjamin de Foy of Saint Louis University, Professor Jill Baumgartner of McGill University, Professor Zahidul Quayyum of BRAC University, and Ziaul Haque, director of the Department of Environment, spoke among others.