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Air Pollution is Stealing Our Right to Clean Air (Yet Nobody Cares!)
Living in Dhaka has become a daily struggle for fresh air.
Every winter, my city turns into a big gas-chamber.
Last week, I went downtown for some work and felt the pollution in my bones. The air was so polluted that I could hardly breathe. I sneezed and coughed several times.
My sister, who works for a private organization in the heart of Dhaka, always wears a mask and carries an inhaler with her. Not just us, whenever you take the bus or metro to go downtown, you will see people coughing and gasping for fresh air.
Fresh air in Dhaka, especially in winter, is a luxury.
The situation is getting out of hand with each passing day, yet you will hardly see the people and the government doing anything about it. Everyone seems indifferent as if they have already surrendered themselves to this unhealthy environment.
People breathe in and out the polluted air without even bothering to wear a mask.
According to the recent report by World Bank Group, breathing in Dhaka is equivalent to smoking 1.7 cigarettes per day.
Well, from my own experience, I can say that it’s an understatement. The reality is way worse in Dhaka and…
