The government has declared the entire Savar Upazila under Dhaka district as a ‘Degraded Air Shed' under the rule 5 of the Air Pollution (Control) Rules, 2022.
The declaration was issued through a circular signed by the Department of Environment director general Md Kamruzzaman, on Sunday, said a press release issued by the environment, forest and climate change ministry on Monday.
According to the circular, from this September onwards, all types of brick kilns in Savar— except tunnel kilns and hybrid Hoffman kilns — will be prohibited from operating, including brick burning and production activities.
In addition, open burning of solid waste, issuance of location and environmental clearance for newly established industries with potential to cause air pollution, and other activities outlined in the action plan have also been banned.
Data from the environment department’s Continuous Air Monitoring Stations show that the annual average concentration of ambient air pollutants in Savar is almost three times higher than the national standard, posing severe health risks to the population.
During the dry season, for nearly five months, prevailing winds from the northwest and northeast carry pollution from Savar into Dhaka, further aggravating air quality and creating grave health hazards for the city’s densely populated residents.
The government expected that this declaration would play a vital role in curbing air pollution in both Savar and Dhaka, thereby protecting public health, the press release added.