Dhaka's air quality continues to be in the ‘moderate’ zone this morning. (July 16, 2024).
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 67 at 9:05 am, Dhaka ranked 30th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
Pakistan's Lahore, United Arab Emirates' Dubai and Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kinshasa, occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 197, 173 and 169 respectively.
Dhaka’s air quality continues to be ‘moderate’
An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with acceptable air quality. However, there may be a health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
AQI score between 150 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', and a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.
Weather Forecast: Scattered rain across the country, BMD says
Dhaka has long grappled with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in the winter and improves during the monsoon.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year.