DHAKA: International Ozone Day is being celebrated in the country through various programmes like elsewhere in the world. 

The theme of the day for this year is ‘Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission Goes On’. 

This year’s theme seeks to galvanise all stakeholders to increase their efforts to address the challenges.

All Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer are celebrating the 2014 International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on September 16 (Tuesday), the day that was proclaimed as such by the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994.

The Montreal Protocol has so far been successful in meeting some of its targets on phasing out ozone-depleting substances. 

As a result, the abundance of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere is declining and the ozone layer is expected to recover around the middle of this century.

There are, however, some remaining challenges to the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have given separate messages commemorating the day.

President, in his message, expected to give a healthy world and living condition by ensuring safe Ozone layer.

The premier, in her message, put emphasis on International Ozone Day in building a sustainable world.

The ozone layer or ozone shield refers to a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's UV radiation. It contains high concentrations of ozone (O3) relative to other parts of the atmosphere, although it is still very small relative to other gases in the stratosphere.

The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri Buisson. Its properties were explored in detail by the British meteorologist GMB Dobson.

BDST: 1137 HRS, SEP 16, 2014