The survey was carried out recently by Unnayan Samannay, a leading environmental non-government organisation, among the people of Dhaka Metropolitan city.

According to the survey, around 35 percent people have identified the traffic congestion and road digging as the main problems, whereas the waste management poses serious problem to 21 percent city dwellers.

A total of 10 percent dwellers have identified emission of black smoke as main problem while six percent of them have identified the increasing population as the main problem.

Inadequate services, poor drainage and sanitary system and mosquitoes were also marked as the main environmental problems, the survey revealed.

The majority of the respondents were service holders. Besides, businessmen, students, housewives, imams, artists, retired persons, day labourers, and unemployed people took part in the survey.

The findings of the survey were included in the People's Report Bangladesh Environment 2002-03.

The report was formally launched yesterday in co-operation with the forest and environment ministry under a Sustainable Environment Management Project (SEMP) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The main theme of the report is urbanisation. It deals with the state of urban environment, how it affects the common people and how the challenges are coped.

According to the report, environmental degradation in the city is pervasive putting at risk people's health and livelihood, and hampering the economic growth.

Citing the assumptions of the experts, the report said the city is most likely to be hit by an earthquake and millions in the city are approaching the disaster unprepared, unaware and ironically indifferent.

Beside the urban environment problems, the report also dealt with the country's industrial pollution, energy, water, land and agriculture, fisheries and livestock, forestry and bio-diversity including the global environmental change.

Speaking at the launching ceremony at the poet Sufia Kamal auditorium of the National Museum, the speakers called upon the politicians to give emphasis on environmental issues in their politics.

UNDP Resident Representative Jorgen Lissner said environmental issue is very much important in the politics of Europe but it does not seem so important in the politics of Bangladesh.

He reminded that human being would not survive if environmental degradation could not be stopped.

Environment and Forest Minister Tariqul Islam said developed countries are mainly responsible for global environmental degradation, "but we have to suffer for it."

"We sought help of international forum several times citing our difficulties, but the states responsible for these problems turned blind eyes to the issue" he said, calling upon media and civil society to be aware of the problem.

Former Vice- chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Amirul Islam Chowdhury said environment is being polluted to get more profit.

The destroyers of environment are very influential and politicians also patronise them, he added.

Presenting the summary of the report Chairman of Unnayan Samannay Dr Atiur Rahman said protection of environment is not the issue of any political party but it is a national issue.

"We all have to struggle to solve the problem," he asserted.

State Minister for Environent Zafrul Islam Chowdhury, and urbanisation experts Prof Nazrul Islam and Dr Babar Kabir also spoke on the occasion.