Air Purifiers to Be Installed Across Dhaka to Tackle Pollution
Dhaka, April 28, 2025 – In a bid to combat severe air pollution, authorities plan to install air purifiers at around 50 locations across Dhaka city. The initiative is being led by the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) in partnership with private companies, DNCC Administrator Mohammad Ejaz announced on Monday.
Speaking at a policy dialogue titled “The Role of Renewable Energy in Creating a Fair and Pollution-Free City”, jointly organized by DNCC and the Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), Ejaz emphasized the urgency of innovative engineering solutions to improve air quality.
“Each purifier will function with the efficiency of nearly 100 trees, purifying and cooling the air at public spaces,” he said. “We are moving forward with both immediate and long-term strategies to reduce pollution in the city.”
Air pollution in Dhaka, according to Ejaz, is primarily caused by vehicles older than 20 years and unregulated construction activities. He mentioned that DNCC has already recommended phasing out outdated vehicles and implementing stricter controls on construction sites.
The upcoming air purifiers will be installed free of cost to the city corporation, thanks to corporate sponsorships secured for all 50 devices. Contracts with participating companies are expected to be finalized within the month.
In addition to air purification, Ejaz highlighted the city’s plan to reform the use of battery-powered rickshaws. He stated that most existing rickshaws run on non-renewable, environmentally damaging batteries and lack proper safety standards.
“To address this, we’ve designed a new model of rickshaw that uses lithium batteries, which consume less power and are more environmentally friendly,” he said.
Only one rickshaw license will be issued per national ID to prevent syndicate control, and licenses will be granted based on population density, road width, and existing infrastructure of each area. Those not meeting criteria may be relocated outside the capital.
CAPS Chairman Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder presented the keynote speech, with several representatives from environmental and climate organizations attending the event.