Smart Air Bangladesh

Every day, open waste burning at Dhaka’s landfills sends toxic smoke into the air that millions of people breathe. Yet until now, no one has had the data to prove it or act on it. Smart Air Bangladesh is installing a network of air quality monitors in and around two of the city’s largest landfill sites, Matuail and Aminbazar, to measure exactly how much this burning contributes to Dhaka’s pollution. By combining ground-level sensors with wind and satellite data, the project will turn invisible pollution into clear, public evidence. Working with the BRAC’s Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) and the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), Smart Air Bangladesh aims to use this evidence to support enforcement of existing environmental laws and shape stronger national air quality policy, helping put an end to landfill burning for good.

Every day, waste burning at Dhaka’s landfills pumps toxic smoke into the air. Until now, no one has had the data to prove it. Smart Air Bangladesh is changing that. By installing air quality sensors next to landfills we will track exactly how waste burning, wind, and other factors shape air quality across the city, turning invisible pollution into clear evidence. Together with BRAC Institute of Governance and Development, we’ll use this data to drive real policy change by enforcing environmental laws Bangladesh already has on the books. We believe good data can do what awareness alone hasn’t: stop the burning and help Dhaka breathe easier.

Mrs. Aysha Rashid, Co-Founder, Smart Air Bangladesh