Dhaka:Dhaka ranked 37th among the world's most polluted cities on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 64 at 10:22 am.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that while the air is generally acceptable, unusually sensitive individuals may experience some health effects.
In comparison, Kinshasa in DR Congo topped the pollution list with an AQI score of 239. Malaysia's Kuching and Pakistan's Lahore shared the second spot, each registering AQI scores of 194, followed by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates with a score of 157.
The AQI scale categorizes air quality, where a reading between 101 and 150 is 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', 151 to 200 is 'unhealthy', 201 to 300 is 'very unhealthy', and levels above 301 are 'hazardous', posing severe health risks.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined by measuring five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Dhaka experiences fluctuating air quality, with deterioration typically occurring during winter and improvements seen in the monsoon season.
The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes approximately seven million deaths globally each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.