United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecast rain across all eight divisions in 24 hours commencing 9 am on Tuesday. According to the BMD forecast light to moderate rain and thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions. The Met Office also predicted a few places in Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions may also experience rain or thundershowers, with moderately heavy to heavy rainfall likely at some places across the country. Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged across the country, the forecast said.

Dhaka ranked 30th among the world's most polluted cities on Tuesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 73 at 8:55 am.  According to the AQI scale, the city's air quality was classified as ‘Moderate', poses moderate health concern for a very small number of unusually sensitive individuals (such as people with asthma, heart disease, or older adults). Riyadh of Saudi Arabia topped the global pollution list with an AQI score of 183, followed by Doha of the Qatar with 161 Kuwait City of Kuwait with 160. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151 to 200 ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 ‘very unhealthy’, while levels above 301 are deemed ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI, which provides daily updates on air quality, indicates how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major 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 worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

The air quality in Dhaka remained moderate on Monday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 79 at 8 am. With the score, the capital ranked 19th among the world's most polluted cities. Uganda's Kampala, Pakistan's Lahore and Bahrain's Manama occupied the top three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 158, 154 and 147, respectively. An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with an acceptable air quality, while one between 101 and 150 is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups", while a score between 151 and 200 is classified as "unhealthy." AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed "very unhealthy", and anything above 301 is considered "hazardous", posing serious health risks. The AQI is a daily indicator of air quality, showing how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects people 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's air quality remained moderate on Sunday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 73 at 09:20am. With the score, the capital ranked 25th among the world's most polluted cities. Indonesia’s Jakarta, the United Arab Emirates' Dubai and DR Congo’s Kinshasa occupied the first three spots on the list with AQI scores of 168, 167 and 153, respectively. Rain likely across Bangladesh, heavy falls forecast in places An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with an acceptable air quality, while one between 101 and 150 is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups", while a score between 151 and 200 is classified as "unhealthy." AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed "very unhealthy", and anything above 301 is considered "hazardous", posing serious health risks. The AQI is a daily indicator of air quality, showing how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects people 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.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers across much of the country over the next 24 hours commencing at 9:00am on Friday, with moderately heavy rainfall expected at places. According to a BMD bulleting issued in the morning, light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds are likely at many places in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, and at a few places in Rajshahi and Khulna divisions. It also said moderately heavy rainfall may occur at places across the country. Meanwhile, Chattogram division recorded the country’s highest rainfall of 82mm in the 24 hours till 6am on Friday. Day temperature may rise slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over the North Bay, said the BMD bulletin.

The overcrowded capital of Dhaka ranked 15th among cities with the worst air quality on Friday morning, recording an AQI score of 102 at 8:30 am. According to the AQI index, the city’s air was classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” indicating potential health risks for vulnerable populations. Uganda's Kampala, Kinshasa, capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia's Jakarta topped the list with AQI scores of 187, 171, and 163, respectively. An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered “moderate,” while 101 to 150 is deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Readings between 151 and 200 are classified as “unhealthy,” 201 to 300 as “very unhealthy,” and anything above 300 is regarded as “hazardous,” posing serious health risks. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is used to report daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and outlining possible health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five key 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. Air quality typically worsens during winter and improves with the monsoon rains. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes an estimated seven million deaths globally each year, largely due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

The Mediterranean Sea is undergoing major changes as rising temperatures linked to climate change create favorable conditions for hundreds of invasive species, threatening native marine life and the livelihoods of coastal communities. Scientists say the warming is largely driven by climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. “The Mediterranean of our grandfathers, of our elders, and of the Greeks, of ancient Greece is lost forever. So many of those changes are irreversible,” said Ernesto Azzuro, a marine biologist at the Italian National Research Council’s Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology. The Mediterranean is considered a climate change “hot spot,” with scientists predicting that its waters could warm by 2 to 6 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 10.8 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100. Marine heat waves are also expected to become more frequent and severe. Ronan McAdam, an oceanographer with the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, said the Mediterranean is particularly vulnerable because it is an enclosed sea, meaning heat cannot escape as easily as it does in the open oceans. The warmer waters are helping invasive species such as the spotted puffer fish expand their range. Azzuro described the species as a highly aggressive predator and one of the Mediterranean’s “worst invaders.” Many of these species entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and are now spreading toward France and Spain. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean said invasive species have been present in the region for decades, but their spread accelerated after the early 2000s as sea temperatures increased. Lionfish, for example, were first recorded in the eastern Mediterranean in 2012 and have since rapidly spread westward. “The Mediterranean will be even poorer, even with less species, simply because climate change is really making this part of the Mediterranean, especially the eastern part of the Mediterranean, really unsuitable for native species,” Azzuro said. Cyprus was among the first countries to experience the impact because of its location near the Suez Canal. Lionfish have reduced populations of native fish such as red mullet, affecting fishers who depend on popular local varieties. Rabbitfish are also causing problems by feeding heavily on algae on the seabed, damaging habitats that are important for native species. “We know what should be done. We should reduce the use of fossil (fuels),” said Piero Genovesi Papik, a zoologist with Italy’s Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research. “But that's definitely an urgent matter for humanity, and we all know the solutions, but of course they require a global and joint vision,” he said. About 1,000 invasive species identifiedAzzuro said around 1,000 invasive species have been identified in the Mediterranean, with about 800 of them now firmly established. The impact is already severe. Shallow waters in the eastern Mediterranean have lost about 93% of their mollusk population, he said. Along the Adriatic coast, mussels that were once plentiful have nearly disappeared as water temperatures have at times climbed above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). “Unless we … find population able to survive through these different climates, the future of mussels is not a happy future, at least in the Adriatic Sea,” Azzuro said. Azzuro’s institute and its partners also launched a campaign several years ago called “Beware of those four” to warn people about invasive species that can pose risks to human health. Puffer fish, for example, are toxic and can be deadly if eaten, while lionfish have venomous spines that can cause serious injuries. Experts seek ways to limit damageScientists say the spread of invasive species in the Mediterranean cannot now be fully reversed, but steps can be taken to reduce their impact. One option is to promote the commercial fishing and sale of invasive species that are safe to eat. Another is to provide incentives for fishers to catch species such as puffer fish that cannot be consumed, allowing them to be safely destroyed. Some invasive species, including lionfish, can have economic value because they fetch high prices in some markets. However, fishers have not yet made much use of the dusky spinefoot, whose numbers have increased significantly in Italian waters. Papik said it is now “too late” to completely reverse the spread of invasive species, but practical measures can still limit further damage. One important step is to prevent new species from entering the Mediterranean by enforcing an international agreement requiring ships to treat ballast water before entering the region. Such water can carry marine organisms from one part of the world to another. “This is something that is technically doable and that can reduce the number of ... new alien species by 95 to 99%,” Papik said. Another measure is using special coatings on ship hulls to prevent marine organisms from attaching themselves to vessels and spreading to new areas. Fishing rules are also being revised to help native species recover. In some areas, experts are considering encouraging the growth of native mollusks that are more resistant to invasive species such as the blue crab. “In the coming years, I think that the challenge will be to restore, to find new ways to restore the environment,” Papik said.

Dhaka ranked 9th among the world's most polluted cities on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 119 at 9:12 am.  According to the AQI scale, the city's air quality was classified as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”, poses health risks to children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases, while the general public is mostly unaffected. Kampala in Uganda topped the global pollution list with an AQI score of 173, followed by Medan in Indonesia and Cairo in Egypt, both recording an AQI score of 169. Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo ranked third with an AQI score of 166. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151 to 200 ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 ‘very unhealthy’, while levels above 301 are deemed ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI, which provides daily updates on air quality, indicates how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major 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 worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecast rain across all eight divisions in 24 hours commencing 9 am on Wednesday. According to the BMD forecast light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at at many places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Barishal, Khulna, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions. The Met Office also predicted moderately heavy to heavy rainfall is likely at places across the country. Day and night temperature may rise slightly over the country, the forecast said.

Dhaka ranked 5th among the world's most polluted cities on Wednesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 114 at 9:52 am.  According to the AQI scale, the city's air quality was classified as Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, poses health risks to children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases, while the general public is mostly unaffected. Kinshasa of DR Congo topped the global pollution list with an AQI score of 168, followed by Dubai of the UAE with 154 Jakarta of Indonesia with 152. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151 to 200 ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 ‘very unhealthy’, while levels above 301 are deemed ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI, which provides daily updates on air quality, indicates how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major 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 worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.