Dhaka, Jun 01 (V7N) – Environmental and health experts have called on the government to take urgent and effective action against air pollution in Bangladesh, terming it a “silent killer” at a seminar held at the National Press Club in the capital on Saturday afternoon.

The seminar, titled “Silent Killer Air Pollution: The Depth of the Problem and What We Can Do,” was jointly organized by Doctors for Health and Environment and Engineers and Architects for Environment and Development.

The session was chaired by Professor Dr. Md. Shafiqul Islam, President of Doctors for Health and Environment, and conducted by Professor Dr. Anwarul Anam Kibria, the organization’s Joint Secretary.

Among the distinguished speakers were internationally acclaimed climate change expert and Professor Emeritus of BRAC University Dr. Ainun Nishat, and Professor Dr. Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder, Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Director of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS).

Engineer Sardar Amin and Dr. Tamanna Bahar Toma delivered the keynote presentations, highlighting the alarming levels of air pollution in urban centers, particularly Dhaka, and its devastating impact on public health.

Other discussants included Sheikh Muhammad Mehedi Ahsan, Engineer Allama Al Razi, and Dr. Lelin Chowdhury, who emphasized the need for multi-sectoral collaboration to address the crisis.

Speakers unanimously urged the government to:

  • Strictly enforce existing environmental laws

  • Increase public awareness regarding the causes and dangers of air pollution

  • Implement effective controls on major sources of pollution including brick kilns, construction dust, unregulated vehicle emissions, and industrial waste

They also stressed the necessity of adopting a national air quality management plan to mitigate the long-term health and environmental consequences of unchecked pollution.

The seminar concluded with a call to action for both policymakers and the public to recognize air pollution as a national emergency and take decisive steps to combat it.

END/MSS/AJ