For the second consecutive day, Dhaka has claimed the unenviable top position on the global list of cities with the poorest air quality. At 8:55 AM this morning, the city registered an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 182. This air quality was categorized as ‘unhealthy’.
To provide context, AQI ratings classify air quality on a scale where an AQI between 151 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy.’ Moreover, an AQI ranging from 201 to 300 is deemed ‘very unhealthy,’ and anything exceeding 301 is categorized as ‘hazardous,’ posing severe health risks to residents.
Following Dhaka on the list were Doha in Qatar, Hanoi in Vietnam, and Mumbai in India, securing the second, third, and fourth positions, respectively. These cities recorded AQI scores of 174, 173, and 170.
The AQI, which serves as an index for daily air quality reporting, offers valuable information to the public about the cleanliness or pollution of the air in a specific city. It also highlights potential health concerns associated with the current air quality.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined based on the concentration levels of five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
