Pollution-induced diseases cause BDT.30.5 billion a year in Bangladesh
Environmental pollution-induced diseases cost Bangladesh BDT.30.5 billion a year. This information has come up in the ‘Environmental Pollution and Protection Youth Survey-2022.’
A research and consulting organization named ‘Change Initiative’ conducted this study and released the findings at a press conference at their office in Dhaka.
During the survey, Headaches, shortness of breath, and waterborne illnesses were selected as the identifier for evaluating pollution-induced illnesses. Due to this pollution, the average annual expenditure per family is BDT.10, 587.
People waste on average taking leaves 17 days a year due to pollution, including illness. A total of 1,023 people aged 15 to 35 took part in the survey. They all say that on average, they use at least one plastic bag a day.
As a result, only young people in Bangladesh use 1.870 billion pieces of polythene bags every year. Also, there is an adverse effect of urbanization with the smoke of factories and vehicles. All this is seriously destroying the green belt around every moment.
Mostafizur Rahman, Associate Professor of the Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, in his keynote speech said, ‘People are not hesitating to break the sustainable structure of the environment to meet their needs.
Air pollution is the main pollution because we have to breathe every moment. Therefore, there is no alternative to identifying the causes of pollution and taking action against those.’’
Zakir Hossain Khan, CEO of Change Initiative, said, ‘’The best solution is to take a coordinated initiative led by the youth. There is no alternative to creating green entrepreneurs in environmental protection.’’
The Change Initiative has recommended increasing the use of bicycles to protect the environment. They also held a bicycle rally on Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka. More than 50 people of all ages took part in the rally and cycled on the roads of the capital.
The organizers said that to save the country from the damage to environmental pollution, the government, as well as the financial institutions and educational institutions, should all come forward. From the program, 10-point recommendations were made to protect the environment.
