A severe Air will be bing polluted if all the Proposed Power Plants Launched in Payra Port in Bangladesh

Adnan Mahfuz Tazvir (class VIII – English version,
Motijheel Ideal school and college, Dhaka)

Various measures have been taken in the public and private sectors to prevent air pollution in Bangladesh. Almost all illegal brickfields have been shut down in the country.

Besides, the government is working continuously to prevent air pollution, which is expected to be a real benefit for Bangladesh.

However, research has revealed that building up all the proposed power plants of Payra will increase the air pollution excessively in Bangladesh, which is very threatening for human beings.

High levels of air pollution can increase the death toll of patients infected with the coronavirus in Bangladesh. It means that high levels of air pollution in Bangladesh can play a significant role in increasing the number of deaths, is feared in a research report published recently.

The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air conducted this research recently on Air Pollution at Payra, the under-construction 3rd Sea Port of Bangladesh.

The findings of this research shows, thousands of people already suffer from various physical disabilities, including high blood pressure, diabetes, lung cancer, and in the direct and indirect effect on the ongoing air pollution in Bangladesh.

Patients are also receiving treatment like chemotherapy. The COVID-19 epidemic will increase the risk of death of the already infected patients.

CREA and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolom published a joined research paper in an online press conference. Chief analyst of this research, Lory Milibirota, has informed that the relation between air pollution and high blood pressure or inflammation of the lung has found in many studies of the world.

Simultaneously, it has also been found that chronic patient is not easily cured if they are infected with the COVID 19 coronavirus. Otherwise, their death risk is increasing. As a result, air pollution is increasing the number of death from COVID 19 Coronavirus.

The research name is “Effect of Constructing All Proposed Power Plants of Payra in Bangladesh on Air Quality, Health and Environment.”

The research explained that if all the seven proposed coal-based power plants will be completed and will go under operation at Payra, then it will increase severe air pollution in Bangladesh.

The pollution prevention system of these power stations is also fragile in such a small area. Finally, if all coal-based power plants are constructed, then it will become one of the primary sources of air pollution in South East Asia and the world.

And in the future, these power plants will increase health risks and cause countless deaths if another epidemic like the coronavirus will breakout.

According to research, thirty-five thousand people may die for pollution in 30 years if to build all proposed power plants. Among those, about 5,000 people will die for long time disease of the lung,

11,000 for ischemic heart disease, nearly 3,000 for inflammation of the lung, approximately 2,000 for lung cancer, around 9,000 from brain stroke, and almost 2,500 may die for the harmful effects of Nitrogen Dioxide.

Other health risks will occur that include 71000 times emergency treatment in hospital for shortness of breathing, 15000 ill child suffering shortness of breath, 39000 cases early borne babies, 260000 holidays for sickness, and about 57000 years alive like about disable person for long time disease.

71,000 times emergency treatment in hospital for a respiratory problem, New 15,000 sick children with respiratory issues, 39,000 early borne babies, 26,0000 leave for sickness, and the time of survival is about 57,000 years after being disabled for chronic diseases.

Rasheda K. Chowdhury, the Education Advisor of the former Caretaker Government and educationist, presided over the press conference.

She called for the cancellation of all coal-based power plant projects at Payra, Patuakhali, in Bangladesh to ensure food security in the country affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said, “It was necessary to discuss the level of pollution in the initial stage of planning of coal-based power plants of Payra.”