Following light to moderate rainfall on Saturday night and early Sunday, Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked 27th among cities with the worst air quality, recording an AQI score of 69 at 9:20 am on Sunday. The air quality was classified as “moderate” according to the AQI index.
An AQI value between 50 and 100 indicates moderate air quality, which means sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor activities. The AQI scale categorizes air quality as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” when it falls between 101 and 150, “unhealthy” between 151 and 200, “very unhealthy” between 201 and 300, and “hazardous” when it exceeds 301.
In comparison, Lahore in Pakistan, Hanoi in Vietnam, and Jakarta in Indonesia topped the list of cities with the worst air quality on Sunday, with AQI scores of 172, 167, and 159, respectively.
The AQI is a daily measure used to inform the public about the cleanliness or pollution level of a city’s air and its potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.
Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, particularly during the winter months when air quality tends to deteriorate, while improvements are often seen during the monsoon season.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution contributes to approximately seven million deaths worldwide each year, largely due to increased risks of stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
