On Friday morning, Dhaka grappled with persistently poor air quality, registering within the “very unhealthy” category.
Recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 260 as of 8:14 am, Dhaka secured the second position globally among cities experiencing the most compromised air conditions. An AQI ranging from 201 to 300 falls under the “very unhealthy” bracket, signaling grave health implications for the city’s inhabitants. In contrast, AQI readings between 301 and 400 escalate to “hazardous” levels, posing severe health threats.
Notably, China’s Wuhan and India’s Delhi led the unfavorable rankings with AQI scores of 264 and 234, respectively.
To provide context, an AQI oscillating between 151 and 200 is labeled as “unhealthy”, while readings between 100 and 150 are deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Bangladesh calculates its AQI based on five predominant pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.
Dhaka’s persistent battle with air pollution intensifies particularly during winter, albeit witnessing marginal relief during the monsoonal months. The ramifications are alarming, with air pollution consistently emerging as a leading risk factor for fatalities and disabilities globally. Various studies corroborate that inhaling contaminated air amplifies vulnerability to heart ailments, chronic respiratory disorders, pulmonary infections, and cancer.
Echoing these concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) underscores that air pollution claims approximately seven million lives annually on a global scale. The adverse outcomes predominantly manifest as increased mortality rates attributed to strokes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung malignancies, and acute respiratory ailments.
