Air Quality Index (AQI)
Dhaka city dwellers breathe clean air throughout July, says study
This past July the Dhaka city dwellers got a special treat from the nature. The air they breathed in was much cleaner as the air quality significantly improved thanks largely to pollution-reducing rain, Eid exodus and Covid restrictions.
Even Dhaka got a niche among the world’s top ten cities having clean air from July 22-31 last, a relief for an overcrowded city known for its severe air pollution.
Read: Dhaka’s air quality improved in lockdown, a blessing in disguise!
According to the data of the US-based IQAir Visual, Dhaka was also among the top five cities for particular times on July 24 and 30 for the good air quality, said Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, the founder and director of Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) of Stamford University Bangladesh.
The city’s air quality significantly improved in July as its Air Quality Index (AQI) score remained less than 100 in the most of days of the month.
The AQI score 0-50 is considered as ‘good’ air quality, while 51-100 as moderate, 101-150 as unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 as unhealthy, 201-300 as very unhealthy and 301 and above as hazardous.
Dhaka's air quality continues to be 'unhealthy'
On Wednesday (March 24, 2021), Dhaka occupied the third position in the list of world cities with the worst air quality. The capital's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 198 around 11.35 am.
India’s Delhi and Nepal’s Kathmandu occupied the first two positions in the list, with AQI scores of 266 and 213, respectively.
Read Dhaka is world's most polluted city
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.
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.
Read Public health issues like air pollution, environment not getting due attention
In Bangladesh, the overall AQI is based on five criteria pollutants – Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone (O3). The Department of Environment has also set national ambient air quality standards for these pollutants.
The densely populated capital of Bangladesh has long been grappling with air pollution issues. The air quality usually improves during monsoon.
Read Lung cancer on the rise in Bangladesh: Report
A report by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the World Bank in March 2019 pointed out that the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka "are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles and dust from construction sites".
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.
Also Read: No respite from pollution as Dhaka's air quality still 'unhealthy'
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.
Over 80 percent living in urban areas which monitor air pollution are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, with low- and middle-income countries most at risk.
Also Read: Dhaka keeps grappling with 'hazardous' air
Air Quality Index: Dhaka’s air still ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’
Dhaka ranked 5th worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday morning.
The capital ranked 5th worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) with a score of 129 at 10:07 am. The air was classified as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’.
When the AQI remains in between 101 and 150, members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected in this condition.
Pakistan's Lahore, Indonesia’s Jakarta, China’s Chengdu occupied the first three spots in the list of cities with the worst air with scores of 224, 180 and 153 respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might 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. Its air quality usually improves during monsoon.
Air Quality Index: Dhaka’s air quality improves
Dhaka’s air quality showed improvement as it ranked 15th worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday morning.
Dhaka had an AQI score of 87 at 08:38am and the air was classified as ‘Moderate’.
When the AQI value is between 51 and 100, active children and adult and people with respiratory diseases are advised to limit prolonged outdoor excretion.
China’s Shanghai, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh city and Poland’s Krakow occupied the first three spots in the list of cities with the worst air with scores of 164, 159 and 153 respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs 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. Its air quality usually improves during monsoon.
AQI: Dhaka’s air quality improves
The air quality of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka showed signs of continuous improvement during Eid-ul-Fitr holiday.
It was categorised as ‘moderate’ on Tuesday morning in the Air Quality Index (AQI) with an AQI score of 73 at 10:08am.
The mega city was ranked 14th among the worst polluted cities in the world.
When the AQI value is between 51 and 100, the air quality is acceptable. However, there may be risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Dhaka’s air quality shows significant improvement
Dhaka’s air quality showed significant improvement on Thursday morning as it ranked 19th worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
It had an AQI score of 74 at 08:41 am and its air quality was classified as ‘Moderate’.
Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi and Kuwait’s Kuwait City occupied the first three spots in the list of cities with the worst air with scores of 164, 160 and 156 respectively.
This has significantly cut down air pollution in Dhaka which regularly ranks among top 10 cities with worst air quality.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs 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. Its air quality usually improves during monsoon.
Dhaka’s air quality shows significant improvement
Dhaka’s air quality showed significant improvement on Saturday morning with the capital city ranking 28th worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI).
Dhaka’s air ranked worst in the world
The quality of the capital’s air has hardly improved over the past weeks when Dhaka was put under heavy restrictions with the rest of the country to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Dhaka’s air was ranked worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Thursday morning. It had an AQI score of 233 at 8:35m and the air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’.
Bangladesh’s overcrowded capital is no stranger to polluted air and people expected it to improve, like other parts of the world, after the country entered a lockdown mode in late March.
No improvement in Dhaka’s air quality
Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka ranked third worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday morning.
It had an AQI score of 152 at 08:04am. The air was classified as ‘unhealthy’.
When the AQI value is between 151 and 200, everyone may begin to experience health effects. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effect.
China's Shanghai and Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh occupied the first and second slots in the list of cities with the worst air quality with AQI scores of 176 and 158 respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs 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 (O3).
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution. Its air quality usually improves during monsoon.
Air Quality Index: Dhaka ranks 7th worst
The air quality of Dhaka showed signs of improvement on Monday morning.
The capital was ranked 7th worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) with a score of 134, around 8am.
The air quality was classified as ‘moderate’.
Myanmar’s Yangon, China’s Shenyang, China’s Chengdu occupied the first three spots in the list of cities with worst air with scores of 175, 162, and 154 respectively.
When the AQI value is between 101 to 150 it means ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’.
Although general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs 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.