United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka ranked fifth among the world’s most polluted cities on Monday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 148 at 9:45 am. According to the latest AQI data, Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with a hazardous score of 367, followed by India’s Delhi in second position with a score of 204. Kampala secured the third spot with an AQI reading of 164, indicating unhealthy air quality levels. Dhaka’s AQI score of 148 placed it in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, meaning people with respiratory issues, children and the elderly may experience health effects. The AQI is an index used to report daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and what associated health effects might be a concern. Air pollution in Dhaka has remained a persistent problem, particularly during the dry season, due to factors such as construction work, brick kilns, vehicle emissions and dust. Health experts advise residents to limit prolonged outdoor activities and use protective measures, such as masks, during periods of poor air quality.

Believe it or not, Bangladesh had the least breathable air in the world in 2021, while its capital Dhaka was the second most polluted city. These are the findings of IQAIR’s World Air Quality Report 2021. The global real-time air quality information platform published its air quality report for last year on Monday. Apart from Bangladesh, Chad, Pakistan, Tajikistan and India topped in the ranking of the five most polluted countries across the globe, according to the report.