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Environment - current issues: many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate

flood-prone land; waterborne diseases prevalent in surface water; water pollution, especially of

fishing areas, results from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by

naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling water tables in the

northern and central parts of the country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe

overpopulation

Definition: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The

following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:

Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually

through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish

and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain.

Acid rain - characteri!ed as containing harmful levels of sulfur dio"ide or nitrogen o"ide; acid

rain is damaging and potentially deadly to the earth#s fragile ecosystems; acidity is measured

using the pH scale where $ is neutral, values greater than $ are considered alkaline, and values

 below %.& are considered acid precipitation; note - a pH of '. (the acidity of vinegar has been

measured in rainfall in )ew *ngland.

Aerosol - a collection of airborne particles dispersed in a gas, smoke, or fog.

Afforestation - converting a bare or agricultural space by planting trees and plants; reforestation

involves replanting trees on areas that have been cut or destroyed by fire.

Asbestos - a naturally occurring soft fibrous mineral commonly used in fireproofing materials

and considered to be highly carcinogenic in particulate form.

Biodiversity - also biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in form and

function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces

an ecosystem#s ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption.

Bio-indicators - a plant or animal species whose presence, abundance, and health reveal the

general condition of its habitat.

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Biomass - the total weight or volume of living matter in a given area or volume.

Carbon cycle - the term used to describe the e"change of carbon (in various forms, e.g., as

carbon dio"ide between the atmosphere, ocean, terrestrial biosphere, and geological deposits.

Catchments - assemblages used to capture and retain rainwater and runoff; an important water

management techni+ue in areas with limited freshwater resources, such as ibraltar.

DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) - a colorless, odorless insecticide that has to"ic

effects on most animals; the use of T was banned in the / in 01$'.

Defoliants - chemicals which cause plants to lose their leaves artificially; often used in

agricultural practices for weed control, and may have detrimental impacts on human and

ecosystem health.

Deforestation - the destruction of vast areas of forest (e.g., unsustainable forestry practices,

agricultural and range land clearing, and the over e"ploitation of wood products for use as fuel

without planting new growth.

Desertification - the spread of desert-like conditions in arid or semi-arid areas, due to

overgra!ing, loss of agriculturally productive soils, or climate change.

Dredging - the practice of deepening an e"isting waterway; also, a techni+ue used for collecting

 bottom-dwelling marine organisms (e.g., shellfish or harvesting coral, often causing significant

destruction of reef and ocean-floor ecosystems.

Drift-net fishing - done with a net, miles in e"tent, that is generally anchored to a boat and left

to float with the tide; often results in an over harvesting and waste of large populations of non-

commercial marine species (by-catch by its effect of 2sweeping the ocean clean.2

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Ecosystems - ecological units comprised of comple" communities of organisms and their

specific environments.

Effluents - waste materials, such as smoke, sewage, or industrial waste which are released into

the environment, subse+uently polluting it.

Endangered species - a species that is threatened with e"tinction either by direct hunting or

habitat destruction.

resh!ater - water with very low soluble mineral content; sources include lakes, streams, rivers,

glaciers, and underground a+uifers.

"reenhouse gas - a gas that 2traps2 infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface

warming; water vapor, carbon dio"ide, nitrous o"ide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and o!one

are the primary greenhouse gases in the *arth#s atmosphere.

"round!ater - water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring

reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs.

#ighlands $ater %ro&ect - a series of dams constructed 3ointly by 4esotho and /outh 5frica to

redirect 4esotho#s abundant water supply into a rapidly growing area in /outh 5frica; while it is

the largest infrastructure pro3ect in southern 5frica, it is also the most costly and controversial;

ob3ections to the pro3ect include claims that it forces people from their homes, submerges

farmlands, and s+uanders economic resources.

'nuit Circumpolar Conference ('CC) - represents the 0%,666 7nuits of 8ussia, 5laska,

9anada, and reenland in international environmental issues; a eneral 5ssembly convenes

every three years to determine the focus of the 799; the most current concerns are long-range

transport of pollutants, sustainable development, and climate change.

etallurgical plants - industries which speciali!e in the science, technology, and processing of

metals; these plants produce highly concentrated and to"ic wastes which can contribute to

 pollution of ground water and air when not properly disposed.

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o*ious substances - in3urious, very harmful to living beings.

+vergra,ing - the gra!ing of animals on plant material faster than it can naturally regrow

leading to the permanent loss of plant cover, a common effect of too many animals gra!ing

limited range land.

+,one shield - a layer of the atmosphere composed of o!one gas ( that resides appro"imately

'% miles above the *arth#s surface and absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation that can be harmful to

living organisms.

%oaching - the illegal killing of animals or fish, a great concern with respect to endangered or

threatened species.

%ollution - the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste.

%otable !ater - water that is drinkable, safe to be consumed.

alination - the process through which fresh (drinkable water becomes salt (undrinkable water;

hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil

caused by evaporation of e"cessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil

incapable of supporting crops.

iltation - occurs when water channels and reservoirs become clotted with silt and mud, a side

effect of deforestation and soil erosion.

lash-and-burn agriculture - a rotating cultivation techni+ue in which trees are cut down and

 burned in order to clear land for temporary agriculture; the land is used until its productivity

declines at which point a new plot is selected and the process repeats; this practice is sustainable

while population levels are low and time is permitted for regrowth of natural vegetation;

conversely, where these conditions do not e"ist, the practice can have disastrous conse+uences

for the environment .

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oil degradation - damage to the land#s productive capacity because of poor agricultural

 practices such as the e"cessive use of pesticides or fertili!ers, soil compaction from heavy

e+uipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural

 products.

oil erosion - the removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor

agricultural practices, deforestation, overgra!ing, and desertification.

.ltraviolet (./) radiation - a portion of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the sun and

naturally filtered in the upper atmosphere by the o!one layer; < radiation can be harmful to

living organisms and has been linked to increasing rates of skin cancer in humans.

$ater-born diseases - those in which bacteria survive in, and are transmitted through, water;

always a serious threat in areas with an untreated water supply.

*nvironmental pollution is as old as the civili!ation itself. 7t has become a ma3or concern in the last few decades. 7t is the by product of the development of civili!ation and in fact a price for the progress. 7t is more prone in case of =angladesh. 5ir 

 pollution of =angladesh is mainly caused by the vehicle emission, industrial discharge and burning of fossil fuel. The water 

resource of =angladesh becomes a ma3or health ha!ard due to arsenic contamination, inade+uate solid waste and industrialeffluent management. )ecessary steps are to be taken to protect the environment for our own e"istence. This paper provides an

overview of different environmental problems of =angladesh and discusses the ways to improve it

>eywords: Environmental Pollution, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise Pollution

0. 7)T89T7)

010 ?ollution has become the first enemy of the mankind. 7ndustrial revolution of 01th century led to environmental disaster. The

whole world is now more afraid of pollution rather than nuclear blast. Technological advancement has brought revolutionarychanges in life style and national economy with overwhelming power over nature. The protection of environment has become a

ma3or issue around the global for the well being of the people and economic development.

 

012 The present environmental condition of =angladesh is not at all e+uilibrium. /evere air, water and noise pollution are

threatening human health, ecosystems and economic growth of =angladesh. 5ir pollution caused due to increasing population, burning fossil fuels, industriali!ation and associated motori!ation. The water pollution caused due to industriali!ation. The under ground water of =angladesh has been polluted due to arsenic. The inhabitants of ma3or cities of =angladesh are also e"posed to

high level of noise pollution. *nvironmental degradation of =angladesh is also caused due to poverty, over-population and lack of 

awareness on the sub3ect. 7t is manifested by deforestation, destruction of wetlands, soil erosion and natural calamities. @ew stepshave been taken by the government to improve the environmental degradation and pollution control. This paper analy!es the

different types of environmental pollution and associated health ha!ard in =angladesh. 7t also discusses the different

governmental steps as well as some suggested steps to improve the pollution control.

 

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21 D'E3ET A%ECT + E/'3+ETA4 %+44.T'+

210 Air %ollution1

5ir pollution is a serious environmental health ha!ard affecting the populations of =angladesh. 5ir pollution of =angladesh is

caused due to increasing population and associated motori!ation. 7ndoor air pollution is mainly associated with the use of 

 biomass fuels during cooking with poor ventilation. 7ndustrial emissions and automobiles are the principle sources of outdoor air  pollution. The national ambient air +uality standards of =angladesh and amount of pollutants in the air of haka city is shown

 below:

Table A 0: =angladesh )ational 5mbient 5ir Buality /tandards

 C/ensitive areas include national monuments, health resorts, hospitals, archeological spots, and educational institutions. Source:epartment of *nvironment (*, 011$.

Table A '5: ?ollutants in the 5ir of haka 9ity

Table A '=: ?ollutants in the 5ir of haka 9ity

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212 ain ources of Air %ollution1

212a1 Burning of ossil uel1

5ir pollution mainly occurs due to burning of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum etc and associated black smoke. ver 11D of the brick kilns use fossil fuel but donEt comply with the F=rick >iln rdinanceG and pollute enormous air.

212b1 'ndustrial Discharge1

7ndustries cause air pollution through smoke emission. 5gro based industries like sugar, pulp, paper, tanneries and value addedindustries like te"tile, garments, pharmaceutics, oil refineries, fertili!er and chemical industries are the ma3or contributors for air 

 pollution. The air pollution percentage of most five industrial sectors of =angladesh in the year '660 is shown below:

Table-: 5ir ?ollution ?ercentage of most @ive 7ndustrial /ectors of =angladesh in the ear '660

/ource: 8esearch Iork by 7slam @aisal on F 7ndustrial ?ollution in =angladeshG in the year '66'.

212c1 Emission from /ehicles1

ne of the ma3or sources of air pollution in urban areas of =angladesh is due to the unburned fuel from two stroke enginevehicles. haka has been rated as one of the most polluted cities of the world. =angladesh 5tomic *nergy 9ommission reports

that automobiles in haka emit 066 kg lead, .% tons /?J, 0.% tons /', 0 tons H9 and &6 tons 9 in every day. Thecontribution of air pollution by different types of vehicle and the amount of pollutants emitted from vehicles in haka city is as

follows:

Table-: 9ontribution of 5ir ?ollution by

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/ource: 9ountry ?rofile on *nvironment of =angladesh by Kapan 7nternational 9ooperation 5gency in the ear 0111.

215 $ater %ollution1

Iater pollution creates serious health ha!ard for =angladesh. The dumping of municipal wastes, hospital wastes and to"icenvironmental discharges from mostly industries pollute both surface and ground water sources. The most dangerous threat

emanating from environmental degradation is the arsenic contamination of ground water.

216 ain ources of $ater %ollution1

216a1 'ndustrial $aste and Effluent1

The main industrial areas of =angladesh are at haka, 9hittagong, >hulna, and =ogra districts. The mostly contributing

industries for water pollution are pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, metal processing, food industry, fertili!er, pesticides, dyeing

and painting, te"tile, tannery etc. Jore than '66 rivers of =angladesh directly or indirectly receive a large +uantity of untreatedindustrial wastes and effluent. *veryday appro"imately $66 tanneries of haka city are discharging about 0&,666 cubic meters of 

to"ic wastes. The epartment of *nvironment (* has listed 0,0$& factories that cause pollution throughout the country. Iater 

 pollution percentage of most five industrial sectors of =angladesh in the year '660 is shown below:

Table-%: Iater ?ollution ?ercentage of most @ive 7ndustrial /ectors of =angladesh in the ear '660

/ource: 8esearch Iork by 7slam @aisal on F 7ndustrial ?ollution in =angladeshG in the year '66'.

216b1 olid $aste and e!age Disposal1

The indiscriminate discharge of solid waste, domestic and hospital sewage are the ma3or source of water pollution in =angladesh.

5bout ,666 to ,%66 tons of solid wastes are generated daily and only half of the generated wastes are disposed of in low lyingareas or into river water. These solid wastes are associated with the problems of littering on roads, spilling around the bins,

clogging of drains, indiscriminate dumping on vacant plots and cause serious environmental pollution. Jore than %66 hospitalsand clinics of haka city generate and release ha!ardous and to"ic wastes without any treatment. The generated solid waste of si"

famous hospitals L clinics of haka city is shown below:

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Table-&: /olid Iaste eneration from /i" @amous HospitalsL9linics of haka 9ity

/ource: J /hehab llah on F5 study of hospital waste management in haka cityG in the year 0111.

216c1 'nade7uate anitary acilities1

7nade+uate sanitation facilities pose a serious environmental threat in =angladesh. haka Iater and /ewerage 5uthority

(I5/5 can serve only for 0% to '6D of city population. 7n absence of the sanitation and infrastructural services, 6D havingseptic tank and soak pit, 0%D using pit latrines and 6D using open latrines. The sewage is mostly released into low-lying areas

and river water in untreated manner causing great environmental ha!ards.

216d1 Arsenic Contamination of "round $ater1

5rsenic in ground water poses a serious environmental ha!ard for =angladesh. 5bout ninety-seven percentages (1$D of 

=angladesh people have been using ground water as the main source of drinking water but the water has been threatened by

arsenic contamination. Jore than half (%'D of the studied population drink well-water containing M%6ugL4 of arsenic and morethan two-thirds ($6D drink well-water containing M06ugL4 of arsenic. The acceptable level of arsenic in drinking water is 6.6%

mgL4 for =angladesh but some places it is found more than $6 times higher than that standard. 5bout N6 million people are at a

risk of arsenic contamination. The arsenic level of ground water over 6.6% mgL4 surveyed in 011N by the =ritish eological/urvey team is as follows.

Table-$: ?ercentage of round Iaters /urveyed in 011Nby the =ritish eological /urvey Team with 5rsenic 4evels over the

4imit

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/ource: 5llan H /mith, *lena 4ingas O Jahfu!ar 8ahman on F9ontamination of drinking-water by arsenic in =angladesh: a

 public health emergencyG in 011N.

218 oise %ollution1

The noise pollution is also a ma3or health ha!ard in =angladesh. 5ccording to Iorld Health rgani!ation (IH, &6 decibel

(= sound can make a man deaf temporarily and 066 = sound can cause complete deafness. 5ccording to the epartment of *nvironment (*, the perfect sound condition for =angladesh is % d= for the daytime and % d= for the night in peaceful

areas and %6 d= for the daytime and 6 d= for the night in residential areas. The main sources of noise pollution are industries,

motori!ed vehicles, construction works and indiscriminate use of loudspeaker. 5t present noise level in haka city are estimatedranging from &6 to 066 decibel. 7f present situation continues then by the year '60$, %6D people of haka city will loss 6

decibel of hearing power. The daily variation of noise level near the road at some of the key locations of haka city is shown

 below:

Table A N5: ?ollutants in the 5ir of haka 9ity.

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/ource: )a!mul 9howdhury research on noise pollution in haka city on @eb '66'.

Table A N=: ?ollutants in the 5ir of haka 9ity.

/ource: )a!mul 9howdhury research on noise pollution in haka city on @eb '66'.

51 EECT + E/'3+ETA4 %+44.T'+

510 /evere environmental pollution is threatening human health and economic growth of =angladesh. 5ir pollution mostly affects

the urban children. 7ndoor air pollution is a greater threat to health than outdoor air pollution. =angladesh could avoid 06,666

deaths and save between '66 and %66 million dollars a year if indoor air pollution in four ma3or cities can be reduced toacceptable limits.

512 7mmediate effect of smoke inhalation causes headache, vertigo, burning sensation of the eyes, snee!ing, nausea, tiredness,

cough etc. 7tEs long term effect may cause asthma and bronchitis. 4ead affects the circulatory, nervous and reproductive systemsas well as affects kidney and liver including liver cancer or cirrhosis. 9arbon mono"ide hampers the growth and mental

development of an e"pected baby. )itrogen o"ides cause bronchitis and pneumonia.

515 7ndustrial emissions cause different waterborne disease and damage to health. 5rsenic poisoning is slow and cumulative. 7tcauses melanosis, kurtosis and con3unctivitis. /ubse+uently respiratory problem, gangrene, skin, kidney and lung cancer would

arise. The 5rsenic effect not only causes serious health ha!ards but also creates a widespread social problem. The inade+uate

sanitation facilities also pose a serious health threat in =angladesh.

516 )oise pollution causes mental and physical illness among the people. /ound pollution causes deafness to heart attack. 5nysort of noise pollution seriously affects e"pecting mothers. 7t also causes high blood pressure, tachycardia, headache, indigestion,

and peptic ulcer.

518 Jany people died every year in many diseases due to environmental pollution. The death rate in the year 011& mainly due toenvironmental pollution is as follows.

Table-1: The death rate in the year 011& due to environmental pollution

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/ource: =angladesh =ureau of /tatistics (==/, /tatistical earbook of =angladesh '660, Jinistry of ?lanning, haka '66'.

61 "+/E3ETA4 TE% +3 %+44.T'+ C+T3+4 ' BA"4ADE#

610 The PJinistry of *nvironment and @orest (J*@E of =angladesh is primarily responsible for environmental protection. 7t

was created in 01N1. The J*@ has taken some steps to control the environmental pollution of =angladesh.

612a. ational Environmental anagement Action %lan (EA%)1

The government has taken a pro3ect named )*J5? to integrate environment with the development in a policy framework. 7t

 provides a guideline for promoting effective management of resources, raising awareness among the people and improvement of environmental degradation.

612b1 Environmental Acts9 3ules and 4a!s1

The government of =angladesh has modified environmental acts, rules and laws to improve environmental condition.

*nvironment court has already been established to take prompt legal action against environmental pollution. The * has been

empowered to punish the offenders of environmental rules.

612c1 Control of Air %ollution1

8ecently the * has taken some measures to carry out surveys on identification and control of polluting industries, protecting

habitats, e"amining the use of compressed natural gas in industries, setting environmental standards and controlling river and

automobile pollution on environmental management. 7t also conducts vehicular emission measurements at haka city.

612d1 Banning of %olyethylene Bags1

Jost of the sewage lines of haka city have been blocked by indiscriminate dumping of polyethylene bags over the years. 5s

such, the government has banned the production, marketing and use of polyethylene bags up to '6 microns thick or less from 60

Jarch '66'.

612e1 .rban Transport %ro&ect1

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5 rban Transport ?ro3ect has been launched by the overnment to improve traffic system, envisage good bus services, improveroad networks by constructing over-bridges, fly-overs, underpasses and envisages a positive role for non-motori!ed transport.

612f1 Embargo on 'mport of 'tems1

The government has banned the import of leaded petrol, high sulfur diesel and high sulfur coal. The government has also

encouraged to use 9ompressed )atural as (9) to the automobiles. =angladesh 8oad Transport 5uthority (=8T5 hasrestricted the registration on two stroke three wheelers.

612g1 Control of Arsenic %ollution1

The overnment has taken four /trategies to mitigate the arsenic problem. These are as follows:

(0. 7mmediate detection of the arsenic effected patients and ensure their proper treatment.

('. 7dentify the arsenic contaminated tube wells, labeled them with red colour for danger ones and green with safe ones.

(. etect the reasons for arsenic contamination in soil water and find out the sources of safe drinking water.

(. 9onduct health education campaigns and grow awareness among the people.

612h1 no!ledge Enrichment %rogramme1

*nvironmental education program has been incorporated in primary and higher education. Jany universities have introducedvarious curriculum and pro3ects on environmental issue. overnment organi!ations as well as )s present meetings and

seminars to arise public awareness on the environmental issue.

612&1 3ural anitation %rogramme1

The =angladesh overnment has taken a rural sanitation programme from ctober '66 to implement the facilitation,construction and installation of twin pit latrine. 7t improves rural sanitation coverage and reduces infectious diseases in rural

areas.

81 A'3 %+44.T'+ ' E"A-C'T'E

810 *nvironment problems differ from country to country. 9ities in the /outh *ast 5sia such as elhi, =angkok and Janila suffer 

from high levels of lead, particulate matter, and o"ides of sulfur. 9entral and /outh 5merican cities such as Je"ico 9ity and

/antiago e"perience fre+uent o!one problems. 5 comparison of air pollution in mega cities of the world is as follows:

 

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@ig 0. 9omparison of 5ir ?ollution in Iorld Jega cities

 

;1.""ETED TE% +3 %+44.T'+ C+T3+4

;10 The government has taken some steps to improve the pollution control of =angladesh. =ut the steps are not ade+uate. 5s

such, few more steps may also be taken to improve the environmental degradation:

;12 .se of Environmental Technologies and ethods1

*nvironmental technologies and methods such as eographic 7nformation /ystems (7/, remote sensing and environmental

impact assessment might be used for integrated policy formulation, decision-making, evaluation and monitoring of environment.

;15 Development of Environmental Database1

5 comprehensive environmental database may be made and the environmental planners might have the access for environmental

up-gradation, planning and management The database is to be updated regularly.

;16 Environmental Education and A!areness1

@ormal and informal methods of education might be adopted through local media, seminars, celebrations, workshops, walks and

student competitions to aware the people regarding the process of environmental degradation.

;18 'ndustrial and olid $aste anagement1

The government might take appropriate measures to monitor emission limits and Jarket =ased 7ncentives (J=7 for reducing

 pollution control. The industries might be given both technical and financial support for introducing mitigation measures,

 promoting green technologies, using less pollution technologies and recycling the waste.

;1; Enforcement of 3ules and 3egulation1

*nvironmental 9onservation 8ules of 011$, traffic rules and other relevant environmental laws might be enforced further to

 punish the violation of the emission limits.

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;1< .rban Transport anagement1

overnment must strengthen vehicle emission standards, complete the emission inventory and conduct an investigation on the

emission control measures. 5uto-rickshaw must be restricted in haka city. overnment must replace old vehicles, two-stroke

engine vehicles, improve traffic conditions and promote an e+uivalent and efficient alternative public transportation services toimprove urban transport management.

;1= 3educe ulfur in Diesel1

overnment must take necessary steps to remove sulfur content from diesel through hydro-desulphuri!ation (H/ process. The

government must also enforce the vehicle manufacturers to install catalytic converters in every vehicle to reduce the vehicular emissions.

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Bangladesh : Environmental Issues

Environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources are often observed in

Bangladesh due to poverty, over-population and lack of awareness on the subject. It ismanifested by deforestation, destruction of wetlands, depletion of soil nutrients, etc. Natural

calamities like floods, cyclones and tidal-bores also result in severe socio-economic and

environmental damage.

aterborne diseases such as cholera are a serious threat to public health in Bangladesh.

!ntil the "#$%s, many of Bangladesh&s people became sick from drinking polluted waterdrawn from surface rivers. 'id agencies such as the !nited Nations (hildren&s )und

*!NI(E)+ built shallow wells throughout the country to help provide a safe source of

drinking water to Bangladesh&s poor.

In the "##%s, however, it was discovered that many of these wells were contaminated by

arsenic, a poison that occurs naturally in Bangladesh&s alluvial soils. he orld Bank

estimates that percent of the country&s / million wells may be contaminated by arsenic.In "##0 the orld Bank granted Bangladesh a 12./ million credit to identify contaminated

wells and develop alternative sources of safe drinking water.

In recent years, the government has taken some important steps towards protection of theenvironment, environmentally sound use of natural resources and pollution control,

'doption of National Environment 3olicy and formulation of National (onservation 4trategy

and the National Environment 5anagement 'ction 3lan are some of the measuresundertaken by the government to integrate environment with development in a policy

framework.

o take prompt legal action against environmental pollution, the government has recently

set up Environment courts. he Environment (onservation 6ules "##$ has also been passed

by the 3arliament. he 7epartment of Environment is taking measures to carry out surveyson identification and control of polluting industries, river pollution and automobile pollution. 

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Environmental Problems/issues in BangladeshPosted on November 9, 2011 by Masud

*nvironmental problemsLissues in =angladesh

9lassification of environmental problems

9urrent environmental problemsLissues in =angladesh

Iater pollution

5ir pollution

eforestation

/oil erosion and degradation

rought

epletion of biodiversity

 )atural calamities/evere overpopulation

Iater pollution

Iater pollution is a natural or induced change in the +uality of water which renders it unsuitable

or dangerous as regards food, human and animal health, industry, agriculture, or fishing etc.

/urface water pollution

round water contamination

Iater shortages because of falling water tables

/urface water pollution

7ndustrial source: chemical pollutants

rban source: sewage water, household sewage

5gricultural source: fertili!er, insecticide, pesticide

9ultural source: religious or cultural congregations

round water contamination

Ihat is 5rsenicQ

5rsenic A a metalloid element A is a natural part of the earthEs crust in some parts of the world

and may be found in water that has flowed through arsenic-rich rocks.

=angladesh is very much dependent on ground water both for drinking and irrigation purposes.

ntil the discovery of 5rsenic, groundwater was considered safe for drinking. Tubewells have, in

the ma3ority, replaced the traditional surface water sources and diarrhoeal disease has reduced

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significantly. 5n estimated 1$D of drinking water of the rural population in =angladesh is now

supplied by groundwater.

The Iorld Health rgani!ation (IH has set a provisional guideline value of 6.60 mgLl R06

 parts per billion (ppbS for total arsenic in drinking water.

The overnment of =angladesh has set a provisional water +uality standard of 6.6% mgLl (%6

 ppb arsenic for drinking water.

5rsenic poisoning

7t can take many years for the effects of drinking arsenic

contaminated water to show and the true e"tent of the problem is therefore not yet known.

 )evertheless, evidence of chronic arsenic to"icity is accumulating and includes melanosis

(abnormal black brown pigmentation of skin, hyperkeratosis (thickening of palm and sole,

gangrene and skin cancer.

Jalnutrition and hepatitis =, both of which are prevalent in =angladesh, accentuate the effects of 

arsenic poisoning.

5rsenic catastrophe: /cale of the problem

5rsenic contamination of groundwater has affected %1 of the & districts in =angladesh where

arsenic levels have been found to be above the nationally accepted limit.

7t is reported that above '0 million people are currently e"posed to arsenic contamination and

appro"imately $6 million people may be at risk.

?H*, =ritish eological /urvey and Jott Jaconald 4td. survey (appro"imately %66

samples throughout =angladesh, but e"cluding the 9hittagong Hill Tracts, revealed that '$D ofthe shallow tube-wells are contaminated with arsenic above the level of 6.6% mgLl and &D of

the shallow tube-wells tested are contaminated with arsenic above the IH guideline 6.60 mgLl.

/olutions:

7dentification of safe tubewells

roundwater treatment

Treated surface water 

se of hand-dug wells in reducing a+uifers

8ainwater harvesting

5ir pollution

5ccording to the epartment of *nvironment (o*, the density of airborne particulate matter

(?J reaches & micrograms per cubic meter (mcm in haka during ecember-Jarch period

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 A the highest level in the world. Je"ico 9ity and Jumbai follow haka with N and &6 mcm

respectively. (The aily /tar, )ovember 00, '661

9ity dwellers and road users regularly breathe, contains lead in concentrations reportedly almost

ten times higher than the government safety standard set by the epartment of *nvironment.

(The aily /tar, 5pril 0', '66N

5bout %6 tons of lead are emitted into haka cityEs air annually and the emission reaches its

highest level in dry season

()ovember-Kanuary, revealed a study conducted by scientists of =angladesh 5tomic *nergy

9ommission (=5*9.

9auses of air pollution:

/moke from brick kilns

/moke from vehicles

ust from roads an construction sites

To"ic fume from industrial sites

7ndustrialisation and mechani!ed vehicles are two ma3or sources of air pollution in any country.

The main pollutants from gasoline powered internal combustion engines are carbon mono"ide,

hydrocarbons, nitrogen o"ides, sulphur dio"ide, particulates of lead compound and unburned

carbon particles. *missions from diesel engines are smoke, carbon mono"ide, unburned carbon,

nitrogen o"ides and sulphur dio"ide.

?roblems:

5ir pollution seriously affects the respiratory tract and causes irritation, headache, asthma, high

 blood pressure, heart ailments and even cancer.

ovt initiatives in curbing air pollution:

=an on two stroke engine

eforestation

=angladesh: @orest 9over, '66%

Total 4and 5rea (ha 0,60$,666

Total @orest 5rea (ha N$0,666

?ercent @orest 9over &.&1D

wnership of forest land, '666

?ublic 1N.'D

?rivate 0.ND

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eforestation may be done to create farmland, to build hydro-electric plants, to sell the lumber,

or through careless or accidental burning.

Total forest cover 

@orest 0116 (ha NN',666@orest '666 (ha NN,666

@orest '66% (ha N$0,666

5nnual 9hange 0116-'666 (ha D (',666 6.6'D

5nnual 9hange '666-'66% (ha D (',&66 -6.'1D

Total 9hange 0116-'66% (ha D (00,666 -0.'%D

*ffect of deforestation

/oil erosion

7ncrease in the sediment load of the river, siltation of reservoirs and river bed.

7ncrease in fre+uency and dimension of floods and droughts,

7ntensity of greenhouse effect

ecrease in the supply of raw materials

/ocial problems in the form of poverty, crime.

/oil erosion and degradation

?hysical removal of topsoil (deterioration of soil surfaces by various agents, including falling

raindrops, water flowing over and through the soil profile, wind velocity.

reatest damage to the soil comes from water and wind erosion.

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/oil erosion being irreversible, is generally regarded as the most serious problem of soil

degradation.

/oil erosion management is based on the following tenets:

a highly erodible soils must be protected to prevent accelerated erosion, b potentially

 productive soils must be conserved properly to sustain their fertility and

c eroded soils must be rehabilitated while averting their further degradation.

rought

5 prolonged, continuous period of dry weather along with abnormal insufficient rainfall. 7t

occurs when evaporation and transpiration e"ceed the amount of precipitation for a reasonable

 period.

rought causes the earth to parch and a considerable hydrologic (water imbalance resulting

water shortages, wells to dry, depletion of groundwater and soil moisture, stream flow reduction,

crops to wither leading to crop failure and scarcity in fodder for livestock. 7n =angladesh drought

is defined as the period when moisture content of soil is less than the re+uired amount for

satisfactory crop-growth during the normal crop-growing season.

ne definite manifestation of the onset of the drought is the Ptop burningE of the bamboo and

 betel nut trees, that is, they loose green foliage and the fresh leaves turn brown because of lack of 

moisture in soil and air.

roughts are common in the northwestern districts of =angladesh. rought has become a

recurrent natural phenomenon of northwestern =angladesh (i.e. =arind Tract in recent decades.

=arind Tract covers most parts of the greater ina3pur, 8angpur, ?abna, 8a3shahi, =ogra,

Koypurhat and )aogaon districts of 8a3shahi division.8ainfall is comparatively less in =arind Tract than the other parts of the country. The average

rainfall is about 0,1$0 mm, which mainly occurs during the monsoon.

The average highest temperature of the =arind region ranges from %U9 to '%U9 for the hottest

season and 0'U9 to 0%U9 for the coolest season.

enerally this particular region of the country is rather hot and considered as a semi-arid region.

Jeteorologically drought can be classified into three types: permanent drought A characterised

 by arid climate;

seasonal drought A caused by irregularities in recognised rainy and dry seasons; and

contingent drought A caused by irregular rainfall.7n =angladesh, the last two types are more prevalent.

9auses of drought

The hydrological and climatic conditions of =angladesh are

characterised by too much water in the wet monsoon and too little in the dry months.

The drought environment is further aggravated by the cross boundary anthropogenic

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interventions. 5bout %N rivers that flow through =angladesh actually come through 7ndia and

Jyanmar.

The natural flow of these rivers is interrupted by upstream withdrawal of water for economic and

household uses as well as for construction of water management structures by the concerns

countries. The effect on these structures obstructs the normal flow of water in rivers such as the

anges (at @arakka, the ?unarbhaba (3ust beyond =anglabandha and the Tista. These structures

mostly divert dry season flow of the rivers, which create not only a scarcity of surface water in

 )I and /I =angladesh, but also tend to affect negatively the recharge of groundwater in these

regions. ltimately it leads to moisture loss in a vast area and contributes to drought condition in

these two regions of the country.

C Hydrology -study of earthEs water 

epletion of biodiversity

=iodiversity or biological diversity refers to the differences between living organisms at different

level of biological organisation A gene, individual species and ecosystems.

The 9onvention of =iological iversity (9= defined biodiversity as; Pthe variability among

living organisms from all sources including; inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other a+uatic

ecosystems and the ecological comple"es of which they are partE.

=iodiversity is vital for the production of food and to conserve the ecological foundations needed

to sustain peopleEs livelihood.

http:LLwww.mtnforum.orgLoldocsL00%1.pdf 

=iodiversity of =angladesh: verview

eographically, =angladesh falls near the 7ndo-=urma region which is one of the ten global hot-

spot areas and supposed to have $666 endemic plant species. ue to its uni+ue geo-physical

location =angladesh is e"ceptionally characteri!ed by a rich biological diversity. 5n estimated

%,$66 species of angiosperms (flowering plant: a plant in which the se" organs are within flowers

and the seeds are in a fruit alone, including &N woody legumes, 06 fiber yielding plants, %66

medicinal plants, '1 orchids, three species of gymnosperms (woody cone-bearing plant and

0$66 pteridophytes (plant without flowers or seeds have been recorded from =angladesh. 7n

=angladesh, some ''&6 species of plant reported alone from the hilly regions of 9hittagong.

=angladesh possesses rich faunal diversity. 7t has appro"imately 00 species of mammals, more

than &'N species of birds (both passerine and non passerine, 0'& species of reptiles, '' species

of amphibians, $6N species of marine and freshwater fish, '1 species of insects, 01 species of

mites, 0& species of algae (or seaweed and species of echinoderms with many others.

http://www.mtnforum.org/oldocs/1159.pdfhttp://www.mtnforum.org/oldocs/1159.pdf

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Ja3or reasons behind biodiversity

depletion in =angladesh

High population density, e"treme poverty and unemployment

Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation

7llegal poaching

*nvironmental pollution and degradation

7nvasive alien species

5bsence of proper institutional arrangements, frameworks and monitoring lobal climate change

and sea level rise

4ack of true political commitments and willingness

4ack of peopleEs awareness

High population density, e"treme poverty and unemployment

=angladesh is one of the worldEs densely populated countries with a population of more than 0%6

million. Ja3ority of the people of the country are still living under poverty line and without any

 permanent 3ob. =esides, more than N%D of the population of the country are living in rural areas

and somehow depends upon various natural resources which often lead over e"ploitation of plant

and animal products for their survival and income. 8ural fuel consumption pattern is another

important issue related to natural resource depletion in the country. /till now, most of the people

in rural areas depend on fuel wood which is strongly concerned with degradation and

unsustainable use of various woody and forested areas.

Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation=iodiversity is strongly associated with intact ecosystems and natural landscapes, however

transformation of land use patterns, e"pansion of agricultural lands, change in cropping patterns,

introduction of high yielding varieties (H

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indiscriminate harvest of medicinal plants, )on Timber @orest ?roducts ()T@?s, unplanned

fishing, using bag nets, bottom trawling fishing, fishing in the breeding season and other factors

are causing depletion of biodiversity.

*nvironmental pollution and degradation

ne of the biggest threats to biodiversity in =angladesh is pollution of air, soil and water. Iater

is the greatest victim of contributed by to"ic agro-chemicals (i.e., chemical fertili!ers,

insecticides, industrial effluents that are causing depletion a+uatic resources and riparian natural

resources.

7nvasive 5lien /pecies

5 large number of e"otic (non-native plants have been introduced into =angladesh for

agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry and fisheries. 5lso some have become

escapes accidentally and having adapted with local conditions proliferated profusely. 4ocal

 people to different agro-ecological conditions have nurtured some of these and some have

 become invasive over local flora and fauna (Jukul et. al. '66&. =esides, replacing natural

 plantation with monoculture of short rotation and fast growing species have threatens the

e"istence of local fauna as they have not adapted with this species.

5bsence of proper institutional arrangements, frameworks and monitoring 4ack of ade+uate

institutional or administrative frame works and suitable policies, weak implementation of

e"isting policies, lack of integration of sectoral activities are other ma3or threats to biodiversity

in =angladesh. =eside these, week institutional capacities and lack of trained manpower in all

disciplines dealing with biodiversity, poor coordination and cross sectoral integration, weak

national information system and inade+uate knowledge on ecosystem structure and function arevital reason for biodiversity loss in the country. Jonitoring is particularly important in

understanding the fate of ecosystems, habitats and rare and endangered species.

lobal climate change and sea level rise

=angladesh is supposed to be affected mostly due to global climate change which will ultimately

lead to sea level rises in near future. 7t has been roughly estimated that about one third of the

countryEs land will go under water. 5lready, salinity intrusion and decreasing fresh water flow in

the mangroves of /undarbans cause massive vegetation change in the area. 7t has been supposed

that top dying of /undri and other mangrove species is also happen due to this change (>han,

'66. =iodiversity may also be vulnerable due to variation in the length and period of climaticevents.

4ack of true political commitments and willingness

nfortunately, no political parties of the country been not included any forestry and biodiversity

issue in their political campaign and these issues have also overlooked or weakly recogni!ed or

 poorly emphasi!e when they are in power. 7n same cases political persons have been found

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responsible to illegal forest activities (i.e.,

encroachment and environmental degradation.

4ack of peopleEs awareness

4ack of biodiversity related information and knowledge automatically leads to gaps in

awareness. aps in awareness have been identified at various levels. To start with, most people

do not even know that there are so many species of organisms in =angladesh. *ven the educated

do not know that there are laws that ban hunting and trade in wild animals, there are laws that

 protect certain species and ecosystems and that there are laws that are meant to control

environmental pollution. ifferent categories of ?rotected 5reas e"ist in the country. However,

many including the policy makers are not aware of the different management systems that the

?rotected 5reas are placed under.

 )atural calamities

9yclone and storm surge

@lood

rought

5bnormal rainfall, hailstorms, and lightning

 )orPwester and Tornadoes

ver population

?opulation (Kuly '66% 0,01,&'N

?opulation growth rate ('66% '.61D

?opulation density (peopleLs+ km ('66% 0,6$$.$

?ercent rural ('66 $%.ND

The population is relatively young, with the 6A'% age group comprising &6D, while D are &% or 

older.

9ourt directed govt. to take steps to control over population. (The aily /tar, 5ugust 0, '606

9reate independent ministry, allocate fund to control over population *"ample:

?ass rate in H/9 e"am and seats in higher educational instt. '% lakhs students will appear in the

 primary final e"amination this year.