Dhaka’s air has ranked as the third most polluted in the world this morning. Dhaka’s air quality index (AQI) score was 211 at 8:23 am.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’, while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents, reports UNB.
China’s Wuhan and Ghana’s Accra occupied the first two spots with an AQI of 281 and 280, respectively.
Meanwhile, an AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
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 issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
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.