On Saturday morning, Dhaka found itself in the global spotlight as its air quality plunged to an “unhealthy” level, earning it the 5th position on the worldwide list of cities with the worst air quality.
Recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 164 at 9 am, Dhaka followed behind India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Karachi, Myanmar’s Yangon, and Nepal’s Kathmandu, which secured the top four spots with AQI scores of 228, 170, 166, and 165, respectively.
The AQI, ranging from 150 to 200, signifies an “unhealthy” air quality level, with readings between 201 and 300 considered “very unhealthy.” Any measurement exceeding 300 is labeled as “hazardous,” posing severe health risks to residents.
Bangladesh calculates AQI based on five criteria pollutants, including Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.
Dhaka has been grappling with persistent air pollution issues, with air quality typically deteriorating in winter and showing improvement during the monsoon season.
Notably, air pollution consistently ranks as one of the leading risk factors for global mortality and disability. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated seven million people worldwide succumb to the effects of air pollution each year, primarily due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
