Dhaka’s air quality remains a concern, securing the fourth spot on the global list of cities with the poorest air quality. With an AQI score of 157 recorded at 9am on Tuesday, the city’s atmosphere is deemed “unhealthy”.
Leading the list are India’s Delhi, followed by Nepal’s Kathmandu and Myanmar’s Yangon, with AQI scores of 225, 176, and 171 respectively.
An AQI value between 101 and 150 signifies air quality as “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, while between 150 and 200 is “unhealthy”, and 201 to 300 is classified as “very unhealthy”. Readings exceeding 301 are considered “hazardous”, posing severe health risks.
The AQI serves as a crucial indicator of daily air quality, highlighting potential health hazards for residents. In Bangladesh, the AQI is measured based on particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone levels.
Dhaka consistently grapples with air pollution, typically worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution contributes to approximately seven million deaths globally each year, primarily due to increased mortality from various respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
