Dhaka:Dhaka ranked fourth among the cities with the worst air quality globally on Sunday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 182 recorded at 834 am.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the city's air quality was categorized as 'unhealthy' by the global air quality and pollution ranking. Pakistan's Lahore led the list with an AQI of 291, followed by India's Delhi with 222 and Kolkata with 216.
An AQI score between 151 and 200 is deemed 'unhealthy,' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy,' and 301-400 is classified as 'hazardous,' indicating significant health risks for residents. The AQI serves as an index for reporting daily air quality, informing the public about the cleanliness or pollution levels of a city's air and its potential health effects.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is derived from five pollutants particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Dhaka has been struggling with air pollution challenges for an extended period, with air quality typically worsening in the winter and showing improvement during the monsoon season.