Dhaka has secured the unenviable fourth position among cities with the most deteriorated air quality worldwide, registering an AQI score of 173 at 8:55 am on Tuesday, according to the Air Quality Index.
The city’s air quality was deemed unhealthy as per the AQI standards. Topping the list were Accra in Ghana, Yangon in Myanmar, and Karachi in Pakistan, with AQI scores of 292, 185, and 178, respectively.
When the AQI value for particle pollution falls between 101 and 150, the air quality is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. A range of 150 to 200 is classified as unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, while a reading exceeding 301 is considered hazardous, posing severe health risks to residents.
The Air Quality Index serves as a daily indicator of a city’s air quality, informing the public about the cleanliness or pollution levels and associated health risks. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution, typically experiencing a decline in air quality during winter and improvement in the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for approximately seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
