Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, has ranked 20th globally for poor air quality, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 77 at 9:11 am on Thursday. 

The city’s air was classified as ‘moderate,’ indicating a light health risk.

Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Jakarta in Indonesia occupied the top three spots, with AQI scores of 165, 159, and 157, respectively.

According to the AQI scale, values between 50 and 100 are considered ‘moderate,’ suggesting that sensitive individuals may need to limit prolonged outdoor activity. Readings above 150 are categorized as unhealthy, very unhealthy, or hazardous.

The AQI measures five major pollutants in Bangladesh: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka’s air quality typically worsens in winter and improves during the monsoon season.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths worldwide each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

MN/