← Back to Publications List

Investigating the Root Causes of Air Pollution in Dhaka: A Statistical Analysis Using Correlation Heatmap

Students & Supervisors

Student Authors
Sadia Afrin
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering, FST
Koushik Biswas Arko
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering, FST
Abida Afrin
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering, FST
Supervisors
Md. Mortuza Ahmmed
Associate Professor, Faculty, FST

Abstract

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, facing a serious environmental concern that is air pollution. The key factors behind this concern include vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, dust from construction, brick making, overpopulation, and green areas reduction. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the key contributors to air pollution in Dhaka. To analyze this study, secondary data was collected for the period 2015 to 2023 from DoE, AQI, BBS, and World Bank Environmental Reports on Bangladesh. The study focused on two major pollutants, PM2.5 and PM10, and their association with the major contributors to air pollution: vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, construction dust, brick kilns, household emissions, population density, and urban green cover. A correlation heatmap is used to analyze the links between air pollution levels and the factors contributing to it. The strongest positive relationship was observed for PM2.5 and PM10 levels concerning vehicle emissions and population density. These relationships represent the significant contribution of vehicle emissions and construction dust to air pollution in Dhaka. On the other hand, green cover strongly relates negative correlation with PM2.5 and PM10 levels. Other factors such as industrial emissions and household emissions are moderately linked, evidence that they are one of the causes, too. In addition, correlation analysis has given useful insight into such a complex interaction between these variables, hence helping in the identification of key focal points for intervention. The findings of the present study have underlined the dire need for a specific intervention targeting the reduction of air pollution in Dhaka. This, while addressing these key factors responsible for air pollution, demands action toward cleaner air and health protection for the residents in Dhaka.

Keywords

Air Pollution; Dhaka; PM2.5; PM10; Correlation Heatmap

Publication Details

  • Type of Publication: Conference 
  • Conference Name: 8th International Conference on Engineering Research, Innovation and Education (ICERIE 2025)
  • Date of Conference: 24/04/2025 - 24/04/2025
  • Venue: Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), University Ave, Kumargaon, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
  • Organizer: School of Applied Sciences & Technology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
View on Publisher