Savar Declared Bangladesh’s First “Degraded Airshed”: A Wake-Up Call on Air Pollution

By GreenPage Reporter

In an unprecedented move, the Department of Environment (DoE) last Sunday officially designated Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, as a “degraded airshed” — the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The declaration comes as alarm bells ring over the area’s deteriorating air quality and its ripple effects on the health of Dhaka’s residents.

What is a Degraded Airshed?

According to the Air Pollution (Control) Rules, 2022, a degraded airshed is an area where air pollution consistently exceeds national safety limits. Under Rule 5, if air quality in a specific region crosses these thresholds and reaches dangerously polluted levels, authorities may formally label it a degraded airshed. Such a designation triggers strict environmental regulations: industries and projects must adopt cleaner technologies, and certain polluting activities may be restricted or prohibited.

The DoE’s recent circular notes that continuous air quality monitoring in Savar revealed particulate levels nearly three times higher than the national annual standard. With dry season winds blowing from the northwest and northeast toward the southeast and southwest, pollutants from Savar drift into Dhaka, intensifying air pollution in the capital’s densely populated neighborhoods.

“Declaring Savar a degraded airshed is a clear warning,” says a senior environmental expert. “Air pollution here is creating serious health risks for local communities.”

The Drivers of Pollution

Brick kilns are a major contributor. A 2023 study by Stamford University Bangladesh’s Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) estimated that brick production accounts for 28% of local air pollution. Government data indicate that Bangladesh has 7,086 brick kilns, with 4,505 operating without environmental clearance. While DoE inspections have shut down roughly 1,000 illegal kilns, many resumed operations soon after. Most kilns use low-quality coal, releasing 53,000 tons of PM10 and 17,000 tons of PM2.5 annually around Dhaka alone.

In Savar, 107 brick kilns operate, but only two employ environmentally friendly production methods. Experts warn that the unchecked emissions from these kilns, combined with other industrial and open-waste burning activities, have pushed Savar’s air to hazardous levels.

Globally, the stakes are equally stark. Research from the University of Chicago suggests that persistent exposure to polluted air is reducing the average lifespan of Bangladeshis by nearly seven years. According to IQAir’s 2024 Global Air Quality Report, Bangladesh ranked second worldwide for air pollution, with Dhaka being the third-most polluted city globally.

Why Savar?

DoE records show that in 2023, 164 days out of 365 in Savar exceeded safe air quality limits — more than Dhaka’s 156 days. In 2024, Savar recorded 149 polluted days, compared to 128 in Dhaka. “Pollutants from Savar drift south into Dhaka during the dry season, exacerbating the city’s already poor air quality,” explains Md. Ziaul Haque, Director of Air Quality Management at DoE.

Immediate Measures

Under the Air Pollution (Control) Rules, 2022, the degraded airshed designation requires a structured action plan to improve air quality. In Savar, this includes:

• Banning brick production in all kilns except tunnel and hybrid Hoffman kilns.
• Halting open burning of solid waste.
• Prohibiting environmental clearance for new polluting industries.

“New industrial projects that could worsen air pollution will not get clearance. All existing brick kilns will be gradually shut down, and open waste burning will be stopped,” Haque told local media.

Challenges Ahead

Prof. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Stamford University Bangladesh and CAPS chairman, praised the government for officially acknowledging a polluted area for the first time. “The policy framework is clear: no brick kiln approvals, no open waste burning, no new polluting industries. Now the real challenge is enforcement,” he said.

A First Step Toward Cleaner Air

Savar’s designation is a critical precedent for Bangladesh. Environmentalists hope it signals a shift from reactive measures to proactive air quality management. While implementation challenges remain, authorities emphasize that this pilot initiative could expand to other polluted areas nationwide, offering a model for tackling urban air pollution and protecting public health.

As Savar’s skies remain hazy with particulate matter, this historic step underscores the urgent need for systemic solutions, combining policy enforcement, technological upgrades, and community awareness — before the costs of inaction escalate further.