Dhaka ranked as the fourth most polluted city in the world on Sunday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 138 at 11:37 AM.
The air quality was classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” indicating potential health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The top three positions were occupied by Hanoi with an AQI of 155, followed by Kolkata and Delhi, both recording AQI scores of 142.
According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” while 151-200 is “unhealthy,” 201-300 “very unhealthy,” and above 301 “hazardous,” posing serious health risks.
The AQI measures daily air quality and indicates how polluted the air is, along with its potential impact on health. In Bangladesh, it is calculated based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone.
Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, which typically worsens during the winter months and improves in the monsoon season.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
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