Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, has secured the unenviable title of the world’s most polluted city, registering an alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 286. This designation persists for the second consecutive day, as recorded on Monday morning, portraying the city’s air as very unhealthy.
The preceding day saw Dhaka’s AQI at 257, emphasizing the consistent severity of air quality challenges faced by its residents and the associated health risks posed by the prevalent pollution.
Close behind Dhaka, major South Asian cities like Kolkata and Mumbai in India, as well as Lahore in Pakistan, grapple with similarly concerning AQI scores of 269, 240, and 211, respectively. This collective scenario highlights a widespread air quality crisis across the region.
The AQI scale clarifies that values between 201 and 300 indicate very unhealthy air quality, posing a high risk of adverse health effects. It urges residents, particularly those in vulnerable groups, to adopt necessary precautions.
The AQI, a tool gauging the concentration of major air pollutants like PM10 and PM2.5, NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone, serves a critical role in keeping the public informed about daily pollution levels and their potential health implications.
Dhaka’s historical struggle with persistent air pollution intensifies during the winter months, while relative improvement is observed during the monsoon season, highlighting the seasonal dynamics of the city’s environmental health challenges.
The World Health Organization (WHO) underscores the severe global health consequences of air pollution, attributing around seven million annual deaths to air quality-related diseases. These encompass stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections, portraying air pollution as a pressing public health emergency.
