Unhealthy air quality recorded in Dhaka on Friday morning

Air quality of Dhaka recorded unhealthy on Friday morning.

Dhaka, Jan 9 - Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, ranked 16th among cities with the worst air quality on Friday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 154 at 8:45 am.

According to the AQI index, the city’s air was classified as unhealthy.

India’s Delhi topped the list with an AQI score of 203, followed by Pakistan’s Lahore at 191 and India’s Kolkata at 188.

An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered moderate, while readings from 101 to 150 are deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups. Scores between 150 and 200 are classified as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy, and 301 or higher as hazardous, posing serious health risks.

The AQI is a daily measure used to report air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and the potential health effects associated with exposure.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during the winter months and improving during the monsoon season.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes an estimated seven million deaths worldwide each year, largely due to increased risks of stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. - UNB