Dhaka:Dhaka's air quality remained unhealthy on Friday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 153 at 910 am.
According to United News of Bangladesh, this score placed the capital city 12th among the world's most polluted cities. Leading the list were Pakistan's Lahore, India's Delhi, and Senegal's Dakar, with AQI scores of 344, 244, and 184 respectively.
Earlier, at 920 am on Thursday, Dhaka was ranked 7th among the world's most polluted cities, recording an AQI score of 165. An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with acceptable air quality, while a score between 101 and 150 is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups." A score between 151 and 200 is classified as "unhealthy."
The AQI provides a daily indicator of air quality, reflecting how clean or polluted the air is and the potential health effects on individuals. In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined based on five major pollutants particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and ozone.