In the latest air quality rankings, Dhaka has secured the third position globally for having one of the most polluted air environments, registering an AQI index of 169 at 8:55 am on Thursday. This marks the city’s air quality as “unhealthy” for the second consecutive day, as per the air quality index.
Leading the list are India’s Delhi and Thailand’s Chiang Mai, with AQI scores of 179 and 170, respectively. The AQI values, categorizing air quality from “unhealthy for sensitive groups” to “hazardous”, emphasize the serious health risks posed by deteriorating air quality.
The AQI serves as a crucial indicator of daily air quality, informing residents about potential health impacts associated with pollution. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five key pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone.
Dhaka has been wrestling with air pollution for an extended period, typically worsening in winter and seeing some relief during the monsoon season. However, the persisting issue of air pollution remains a significant risk factor for health globally, contributing to various diseases such as heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and cancer, as highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
With an estimated seven million deaths attributed to air pollution annually worldwide, urgent measures are imperative to mitigate the adverse effects and safeguard public health.
