Dhaka’s Air Worst in World

Bangladesh's capital Dhaka again topped the list of cities with the worst air in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Wednesday morning.

It had an AQI score of 224 at 9:36 am. The air was classified as 'very unhealthy'.

Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Delhi occupied the second and third position respectively with AQI scores of 206 and 201.

When the AQI value is between 201 and 300, the entire population is more likely to be affected. In this situation, children are advised to limit outdoor activities.

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).

The Department of Environment has also set national ambient air quality standards for these pollutants. These standards aim to protect against adverse human health impacts.

Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution. The air quality usually improves during monsoon.