Dhaka: Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked second among the world’s most polluted cities, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 212.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the city’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’, indicating a significant health threat. On the list of the world’s most polluted cities, Delhi in India, Lahore in Pakistan, and Kathmandu in Nepal took the first, third, and fourth positions, with AQI scores of 218, 197, and 188 respectively.
The AQI scale categorizes air quality, where a reading between 50 and 100 is ‘moderate’, 101-150 is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151-200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201-300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and above 301 is ‘hazardous’. The AQI provides daily updates on air conditions, helping residents understand potential health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined by measuring five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.
Dhaka has faced persistent air pollution challenges, with air quality typically worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution leads to approximately seven million deaths globally each year, primarily due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.