That Bangladesh is losing one per cent GDP every year due to air pollution is a disturbing piece of news, because it is a key barrier to the country's vision to become an upper-middle income country, according to a new World Bank analysis. Bangladesh must check environmental degradation, particularly in urban areas and become climate resilient for achieving the upper-middle income status, the WB report suggested. As per the findings, Dhaka and other cities face severe air and water pollution due to rapid and unplanned urbanisation. Noncompliant industries and inadequate waste management of hazardous and non-hazardous materials are polluting the cities' air as well as surface and groundwater.

Industrial wastes, medical wastes, e-wastes and various other wastes are polluting the environment of the country everyday. If preventive measures are not taken immediately, these will leave a catastrophic impact on the environment and bio-diversity of the country. Industrialisation is needed for the development of the country. But unplanned and unbridled industrialization will do more harm than good. Global climate change has compounded the problems. The smokes coming from the brick kilns around the capital and other towns and cities of the country are posing threat to environment. If the authorities fail to check pollutions of different kinds, the public health will be greatly jeopardised.

Due to the unplanned development, unabated pollution is affecting both the big and small cities. Around 600,000 residents are exposed to lead contamination in the capital, which can lead to IQ loss and neurological damage, especially among children. The authorities should identify the industrial units and establishments responsible for air and other pollution and take stringent action against those. The air pollution in the capital had been discussed many times but no tangible action plan could be taken in this regard. Physicians have come up with repeated warnings to take measures to improve quality of air of the cities and towns to escape health hazards arising out of air pollution.  

Children and elderly people are bearing the brunt of the situation. They are suffering from various respiratory tract related ailments after breathing the polluted air. The people belonging to the low income group are the worst sufferers. For enforcing environment policies, the government must strengthen the institutions and regulatory framework. It should provide incentives to industries to adopt green and clean technologies and should enforce polluter's pay principle. There is no alternative to getting rid of air and other pollution in the interest of public health.