Dhaka ranked sixth among 127 cities across the world this Friday morning in terms of air pollution. At around 8:00 am, the city’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) score stood at 174, which falls under the “unhealthy” category, according to IQAir. Air pollution was found to be relatively higher in seven areas of the city this morning.
On weekends, the number of vehicles on the streets is generally lower, and most factories remain closed — both are major sources of air pollution in Dhaka. However, despite that, pollution levels did not decrease today, Friday.
Among global cities, Lahore in Pakistan topped the list of the most polluted with an AQI score of 304, followed by Delhi in India with 215. The situation was reported by IQAir, a Switzerland-based organisation that regularly monitors global air quality. Its live air-quality index provides real-time updates on how clean or polluted a city’s air is and issues health precautions accordingly.
Since the beginning of this month, Dhaka has experienced occasional rainfall, which usually helps reduce pollution levels. Historically, July is considered the month with the lowest air pollution.
However, despite rainfall, Dhaka’s air quality worsened on several days in September, even ranking among the world’s most polluted cities on a few occasions. Pollution typically starts rising from October, and since the beginning of this month, Dhaka has again been among the most polluted cities.
Seven areas with high pollution
Air quality was found to be particularly poor in seven parts of the city — Eastern Housing in Mirpur, Goran, Becharam Deuri in Old Dhaka, Bay’s Edgewater on Madani Avenue, Kalyanpur, Grace International School, and Shanta Forum in Tejgaon.
Advice for city residents
In view of the current air quality, IQAir has issued several health recommendations for Dhaka residents. It requested everyone to wear a mask when going outdoors, keep windows closed to prevent polluted air from entering, and avoid outdoor exercise as much as possible. In areas with especially poor air quality, wearing a protective mask is mandatory when stepping outside.