Dhaka’s Air Quality Still Remains in ‘Moderate’ Zone

The air pollution in Dhaka on Sunday morning was mild. Dhaka was ranked 10th at 8:40 am on the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, with an air quality index (AQI) score of 99.

With AQI scores of 159, 137, and 131, respectively, the top three cities on the list were Jakarta in Indonesia, Lahore in Pakistan, and Doha.

A grade of 301 or above is considered dangerous, posing serious health risks to residents. A score on the AQI between 51 and 100 is considered mild, 101 to 150 is considered unhealthy, and 201 to 300 is considered very unhealthy.

Ozone, NO2, CO, SO2, and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) are the five criteria pollutants used to calculate the AQI score in Bangladesh.

Air pollution has always been a problem in Dhaka. Winter is often when the air quality deteriorates, and monsoon season is when it gets better.

One of the leading causes of mortality and disability globally continues to be air pollution.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people year around the world, mostly due to an increase in fatalities from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and acute respiratory infections.

Photo: Collected