Dhaka: The capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, ranked ninth among the world’s most polluted cities on Monday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 92.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the city’s air quality was classified as ‘Moderate’ at 9:30 am. The top three most polluted cities were Delhi in India, Santiago in Chile, and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, with AQI scores of 185, 182, and 166, respectively.
An AQI score between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while an AQI score between 151 and 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed ‘very unhealthy’, and any reading above 301 is deemed ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks.
The AQI serves as a daily indicator of air quality, revealing how clean or polluted the air is and the potential health effects individuals may experience. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and ozone.
Dhaka has faced persistent challenges with severe air pollution. Typically, air quality deteriorates during the winter months and shows improvement during the monsoon season.
The World Health Organization states that air pollution is responsible for approximately seven million deaths globally each year, primarily due to stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.