Dhaka’s air quality took a nosedive on Monday morning, registering an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 112 at 9:15 am. This placed Dhaka at the 11th spot globally for the poorest air quality. The ranking follows India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore, and Nepal’s Kathmandu, topping the list with AQI scores of 338, 184, and 175, respectively.
When the AQI value falls between 101 and 150, it signifies unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups, while between 150 and 200 is deemed unhealthy. Further escalation, between 201 and 300, indicates very unhealthy air quality, with anything above 301 considered hazardous, posing grave health risks.
The AQI serves as a crucial tool to inform residents about the cleanliness or pollution levels in the air they breathe, along with associated health risks. In Bangladesh, the AQI is gauged based on five pollutants, including particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution, typically worsening in winter and easing during the monsoon. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution claims seven million lives annually worldwide, primarily due to increased mortality from various respiratory and cardiovascular ailments.
