Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, has been ranked as the city with the third-worst air quality globally, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 244 at 8:50 am on Tuesday, marking the air as "very unhealthy" and posing a severe health risk. 

The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 500, with scores between 201 and 300 indicating "very unhealthy" air, while 301+ is considered hazardous.

Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, topped the list with an AQI score of 488, followed by Hanoi, Vietnam (259), and Delhi, India (228). 

The AQI measures air pollution based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.

Dhaka has long struggled with poor air quality, especially during the winter months, with conditions improving during the monsoon season. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million deaths annually, contributing to a range of serious health conditions.

BDST: 1549 HRS, JAN 21, 2025
MN