State of Dhaka Environment – 3rd Data Validation Workshop

January 29, 2023
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Date: 29 January 2023

Place: Nasrul Hamid Auditorium, Dhaka Reporters Unity, 8/4-A Topkhana Road, Segun Bagicha, Dhaka-1000

Dhaka is one of the few cities in the world surrounded by rivers. Buriganga, Balu, Turag and Shitalakshya are the four major rivers that surround Dhaka city and all of which are interconnected through numerous canals. Unfortunately, the canals and rivers are being grabbed; untreated pollutants are discharged into surface waters while urbanization and industrialization do not follow existing legal frameworks. There is no dissolved oxygen in the river water during the annual lean period for the survival of any aquatic life.

Air and noise pollution have reached an unbearable situation in Dhaka. The air of Dhaka city is polluted. According to the latest United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) report, Dhaka is the most noise-polluted city in the world.

In this situation WKB consortium collected water, air, and noise data from the different spots to monitor the pollution level and of produce the State of Dhaka Environment Report (SoDE). Consortium collected noise data from the ten 10 locations in Dhaka city- Shahbag, Motijheel, Ahsan Manjil, Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Parliament area, Utara, Tejgaon, Agragaon and Mirpur weekly for 52 weeks. The consortium also collected air quality testing data from 10 locations in Dhaka City – Shahbag, Motijheel, Ahsan Manjil, Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Parliament area, Utara, Tejgaon, Agragaon, and Mirpur weekly for 52 weeks to get data of PM 1, PM 2.5 and PM10. Consortium collected water quality data from Buriganga and Dhaleshwari rivers. Water quality samples were collected from 4 selected points in four times in a year for two years. The consortium checked the collected samples in eight parameters as part of quality monitoring.

To share the collected data WKB consortium organized the 3^rd data validation workshop on January 29, 2023, at Nasrul Hamid Auditorium, Dhaka Reporters Unity from 11.00 to 2.00 pm. This workshop is a formal process for endorsing this data by relevant stakeholders. Dr. Muzibur Rahman Howlader, Former Chairman, National River Conservation Commission was present as the Chief guest. Dr. Muhammod Nazrul Islam, Chairman, Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka was the special guest.

Among others, Mr. Mainuddin Ahmed, Chief of Party Bangladesh, PAR/Counterpart International, Sumona Binte Masud, Project Management Specialist, Civil Society Advisor, USAID were also present and shared their opinion.

Mr. Sharif Jamil, Lead of, the Waterkeepers Bangladesh Consortium chaired and moderated the workshop. Professor Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder, consortium member and chairman of Environmental Science, Stamford University Bangladesh presented the analysis of air and noise quality data. Professor Md. Nurul Islam, PhD, Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University presented the analysis of water quality data. Dr. Alamgir Hossain, Head of Dhaka Laboratory, Dhaka WASA, and Monir Hossain Chowdhury, Environment & Climate Change Specialist, NRCC were present as discussants to give their opinion on the presented data.