Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked fifth on the list of cities with the worst air quality on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 127 at 10am.

According to the AQI, this level of air pollution is categorized as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” posing a light health risk for individuals with respiratory or heart conditions, children, and the elderly.

Kinshasa (173) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Riyadh (152) of Saudi Arabia, and Kampala (143) of Uganda secured the top three spots on the list.

The AQI is a tool used to report daily air quality and indicate potential health effects. It is based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.

An AQI score between 101 and 150, like Dhaka’s, indicates that while the general public is not likely to be affected, people in sensitive groups may experience health effects.

Dhaka has long been grappling with severe air pollution, especially during the winter when dust and emissions increase. The air quality typically improves during the monsoon season due to rainfall.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases.

MN/