Dhaka secured the second position globally for the worst air quality on Monday morning.
At 9:00 am, Dhaka’s air quality measured an air quality index (AQI) score of 193, categorizing it as ‘unhealthy’.
Leading the list were India’s Delhi, China’s Beijing, and Nepal’s Kathmandu, with AQI scores of 207, 193, and 175, respectively.
An AQI ranging between 101 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’, while a score between 201 and 300 is termed ‘poor’. Readings exceeding 301 are classified as ‘hazardous’, posing severe health risks.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined by five criteria pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution issues, typically worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for global death and disability. Breathing polluted air heightens the risk of heart disease, chronic respiratory illnesses, lung infections, and cancer, according to various studies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution claims the lives of approximately seven million people worldwide annually.
