Shahbag has become the top air polluted area while Gulshan-2 has been found as the most noise polluted area in Dhaka, says a recent study published on Sunday.
The study, conducted by the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), found air quality indicators of 10 places in the city to be 'unhealthy', according to a press conference at the National Press Club.
The press conference was titled “Press Conference demanding effective implementation of environmental mitigation measures and laws to control air and noise pollution in Dhaka City”.
The scenario was found following a year-long data collection from April 2021 to March 2022 and analysis of air and noise quality of Ahsan Manzil, Abdullahpur, Motijheel, Shahbag, Dhanmondi-32, Sangsad area, Tejgaon, Agargaon, Mirpur-10 and Gulshan-2, said the researchers at the press met.
The study was conducted by USAID-funded WaterKeepers Bangladesh, Department of Geography and Environment of Jahangirnagar University and Department of Environmental Sciences of Stamford University.
According to the research, Shahbag is found to be the most air-polluted city, which is 5.6 times higher than the acceptable level and the lowest air pollution area is the parliament area, which is even 4.8 times higher than the standard level, read the report.
The maximum noise polluted area is Gulshan-2 out of 10 areas, as per the report. The noise level of Gulshan-2 is 95.44 decibels, which is 1.7 times higher than the national standard (55 decibels) during the day for mixed areas.
It is followed by Abdullahpur at 95.43 decibels, which is 1.6 times higher than the national standard (60 decibels).
At the press conference, the chairman of the CAPS and the professor of environmental science at Stamford University Prof Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder delivered the written statement and the report.
