Dhaka Records Fourth-Worst Air Quality Globally This Morning
India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Kolkata ranked first, second and third, respectively, on the list.
Bangladesh’s overcrowded capital, Dhaka, ranked fourth among the cities with the worst air quality worldwide, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 189 at 9:08am on Saturday.
The city’s air quality was classified as ‘unhealthy’, according to the global air quality and pollution rankings. India’s Delhi topped the list, followed by Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Kolkata, with AQI readings of 539, 273 and 198, respectively.
An AQI reading between 101 and 150 indicates air quality that is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while readings between 151 and 200 are classified as ‘unhealthy’. Levels between 201 and 300 are considered ‘very unhealthy’, while readings of 301 or above fall into the ‘hazardous’ category, posing serious health risks.
The AQI is a daily indicator of air pollution that helps people understand how clean or polluted the air is and the potential health risks associated with exposure.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone.
Dhaka has been struggling with persistent air pollution for years. Air quality generally deteriorates during the winter months but tends to improve during the monsoon season.
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