Dhaka's air quality was ‘moderate’ this morning (June 28, 2023) due to the ongoing rain.

Besides, few vehicles on the street also contributed to improved air quality, as the Eid-ul-Azha holidays began on Tuesday.

With an air quality index (AQI) score of 55 at 10:49 am, the densely populated capital city of Bangladesh ranked 40th in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.

An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with an acceptable air quality. However, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

With less traffic as Eid holidays begin, Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning

Dubai in UAE, Detroit and Chicago in the US occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 229, 205 and 174, respectively.

An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.

Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.

Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning

AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.

Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.

Dhaka's air quality 'moderate' this morning

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.