We all breathe over 11,000 Liters of air each day. Often this air, known as ambient air, is polluted with particles or gases that are unhealthy for our health. Children breathe more air per kilogram of body weight. The elderly people with heart and/or lung disease when breathe polluted air, may develop more serious respiratory problems. These two groups of humans are relatively more susceptible to air pollution. Air pollution can also damage our living environment including plants and animals, change weather and reduce visibility due to the presence of “ black carbon pollution” in air.

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and its urban areas suffer from air pollution of different levels and it is extremely high in the Dhaka city where the population is about 12 million in 300 km2 of surface area. It has been estimated that air pollution is causing about 15,000 premature deaths and several million cases of illness every year, in the Dhaka city alone.