No Relief as Dhaka's Toxic Air Persists

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, once again topped the list of cities with the worst air quality, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 176 at 9:30 am on Sunday. The air was categorized as ‘unhealthy,’ posing significant health risks, according to the AQI scale. On Saturday, Dhaka also held the top spot with a slightly lower AQI score of 173.

The AQI measures the level of air pollution and its potential impact on health. An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate,’ with some concerns for sensitive individuals. Scores between 101 and 150 are deemed ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ 151 to 200 as ‘unhealthy,’ 201 to 300 as ‘very unhealthy,’ and anything above 300 as ‘hazardous,’ indicating severe health risks for the general population.

Following Dhaka, Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan, and Kathmandu in Nepal, ranked second, third, and fourth respectively, with AQI scores of 168, 159, and 158.

The AQI system in Bangladesh tracks five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.

Air pollution has long been a serious concern for Dhaka, where air quality typically worsens during winter months and shows some improvement during the monsoon season.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for approximately seven million deaths annually, primarily due to stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.