Dhaka ranks third worst in Air Quality Index

When the AQI value is between 151 and 200, every city dweller may begin to experience health effects. UNB File photo
When the AQI value is between 151 and 200, every city dweller may begin to experience health effects. UNB File photo

Bangladesh’s capital was ranked third worst in Air Quality Index (AQI) on Monday morning.

Dhaka had a score of 197 at 9:00am, which means the city’s air quality was classified as unhealthy.

Vietnam’s Hanoi and India’s Delhi were at the top of the list with scores of 245 and 199 respectively.

When the AQI value is between 151 and 200, every city dweller may begin to experience health effects. Members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects in this situation.

Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, are advised to avoid prolonged outdoor exertion.

The air quality is categorised as good when AQI score remains between 0-50 while the air is moderate when AQI is 51 to 100 but when AQI is in between 101 and 150, it is classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, tells people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.

Bangladesh’s overcrowded capital has been grappling with air pollution for a long time. The quality usually improves during monsoon.