DHAKA, July 16, 2024 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed today said the Bangladesh National Air Quality Management Plan is being formulated aiming to improve the country's air quality.

She revealed the plan at a meeting to finalize the draft of the national air quality management plan prepared with the technical cooperation of the World Bank. The meeting was held at Bangladsh Secretariat here.

She said necessary steps are being taken to effectively prevent and control air pollution.   

"By implementing the plan, the annual number of days of good and moderate air will gradually increase in air quality index across the country including Dhaka by 2030," the secretary said.

 She said this will contribute to achieving the country's annual average PM2.5 air pollutant PM2.5 interim targets of WHO and the country's national standards and the implementation of the South Asia Clean Air Vision 2030.

Dr Farhna said effective management of air emitted from moving, specific or unspecified sources and permanent sources including chimneys as a result of this plan;  Effective management of indoor air quality;  Hazardous Pollutant Control Management;  Acknowledgment and dissemination of best practices in air quality management will be facilitated.  

She said clean energy, energy efficient technology, quality of fuel related to gaseous emissions;  Air quality monitoring;  Collection and storage of data on air quality, research, management, and assessment of its adverse effects, participation and cooperation in the global environment on air quality management will be strengthened.

Additional Secretary (Administration) Iqbal Abdullah Harun, Additional Secretary (Development) Md.  Mosharraf Hossain and Additional Secretary (Environmental Pollution Control) Tapan Kumar Biswas along with senior officials of the ministry and officials of various ministries and departments were present.    

The draft national air quality management plan was presented by Sidhartha Sankar Kundu, the deputy secretary (EPC) of the ministry, and Md. Ziaul Haque, the director (air quality management) of the Department of Environment.