Dhaka’s air quality was marked as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ on Tuesday (April 23). With an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 127 at 9:10 am, the city is ranked eighth in the list of cities with the most polluted air in the world.
An air quality between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, an AQI score between 151 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’.
Between 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, an AQI score of 301+ is considered ‘risky’, posing a serious health risk to residents.
India’s Delhi, Qatar’s Doha and Thailand’s Chiang Mai topped the list with AQI scores of 226, 168 and 167 respectively.
AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on 5 characteristics of pollution. They are Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3).
Dhaka has been suffering from air pollution for a long time. Its air quality generally becomes unhealthy during winters and improves slightly during monsoons.
According to a report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank in March 2019, the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka are brick kilns, vehicle fumes and dust from construction sites.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution has increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. As a result, approximately 7 million people die worldwide each year.
