When Cities Forget How to Breathe

Rajshahi was once a role model for sustainable urban development in Bangladesh has become a symbol of a global challenge: the decline of green infrastructure and the lack of effective air quality management are pushing even previously clean cities to their limits.

Just a few years ago, Rajshahi was known as a “green city.” Local authorities had implemented progressive transport planning, protected green spaces, and promoted environmental awareness. The city boasted some of the best air quality in the country.

Today, the picture has changed dramatically. On March 16, 2024, Rajshahi recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 162 according to IQAir. This exceeded far Dhaka, the notoriously polluted capital. AQI levels over 150 are considered unhealthy, especially for vulnerable groups.

What went wrong?

1. Rapid urbanization with no focus on air quality

The number of vehicles, both legal and illegal, has exploded. Auto-rickshaws and small motorized transport dominate the streets. Construction is booming, but without coordinated environmental oversight. Where trees once provided shade and filtered pollutants, concrete and dust now prevail.

2. Loss of natural air filters

Rajshahi once had over 300 ponds. Many have been filled in. Large-scale deforestation has further altered the city’s microclimate. Heat islands are forming, air circulation is slowing, and pollutants linger longer in the atmosphere.

3. Lack of proper waste management

An estimated 350–400 tons of waste are generated daily. Much of it is dumped untreated into open land, rivers, and streets. Decomposing or burning organic waste contributes significantly to air pollution.

What Rajshahi Teaches Us

Rajshahi’s decline is not an isolated case. It exemplifies a broader trend in many fast-growing cities, particularly in the Global South. But even in Europe, urban areas often grow faster than the infrastructure meant to sustain them. And buildings, no matter how modern, are not automatically protected from fine dust, nitrogen oxides, or airborne pathogens.

The Lesson for Modern Building Design

What happens outside doesn’t stay outside. Pollution from traffic, construction, or waste enters buildings through doors, windows, and most of all, through ventilation systems. This is exactly where professional air purification systems become essential.

At Airvolut, we rely on differentiated electrostatic filtration technology designed to remove even ultrafine particles such as fine dust, viruses, and bacteria. With a separation efficiency of 99.5%, our systems ensure clean, healthy air in offices, production halls, and public buildings bringing back what cities like Rajshahi have lost: breathable indoor environments.

Rajshahi stands as a stark reminder of how quickly progress can turn into regression when sustainability and air protection are ignored. The good news: indoors, we can still make a difference.

Air quality begins with smart planning and it ends with the responsibility we take for the people inside our buildings.