Air Purifier Installation in Dhaka: A Policy Perspective Evaluation
To combat air pollution in Dhaka, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is launching a pilot project to install air purifiers at 50 busy locations.
DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz stated that each HDCT-51000 model purifier can clean 30,000 cubic feet of air per minute, which is comparable to the purifying and cooling power of 100 trees.
Weighing 1,500 kg and operating on 220 volts, these machines are fully funded by private sponsors, posing no financial burden on the city authority. (Source: DNCC, 2025).
However, environmental experts have raised concerns about the initiative’s long-term efficacy. Professor Abdus Salam from the Chemistry Department at the University of Dhaka stated,
“Even developed countries have found it challenging to succeed with such expensive technologies.” (Source: Prothom Alo, 2025). Dr. Ahmed Kamruzzaman, Chairman of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies – CAPS at Stamford University, Dhaka, added,
“While this could serve as a pilot intervention, it won’t yield sustainable results unless the root sources of pollution are addressed.”
According to the 2024 global report by Switzerland-based research organization IQAir, Bangladesh ranks as the second most air-polluted country, and Dhaka as the third most polluted city globally.
From 2015 to 2023, Dhaka had just 31 days of clean air, highlighting the serious health risks for residents (Sources: IQAir, 2024; CAPS, 2023).
In this context, DNCC’s air purifier initiative can be viewed as a symbolic and awareness-raising measure. However, care must be taken to ensure that it does not become a tokenistic or performative gesture.
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Policy Recommendations
- Source-level pollution control.
- Promote CNG and electric vehicles in the transport sector.
- Implement dust suppression mechanisms at construction sites.
- Enforce the mandatory use of zigzag technology in brick kilns.
- Urban planning and resilience.
- Emphasize the importance of green buffer zones and the protection of open spaces.
- Promote the integration of eco-friendly infrastructure in urban development.
- Governance and enforcement.
Enhance collaboration between the Department of Energy (DOE), city corporations, and the Department of Environment of Bangladesh, to foster more effective coordinated action.
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Conclusion
Air pollution in Dhaka constitutes a public health and environmental emergency. Only a synergistic approach involving technology, political will, robust policy enforcement, and citizen engagement can lead to sustainable solutions.
