Dhaka air quality ranks third worst

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka ranked third worst in the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Sunday morning, reports UNB.

It had an AQI score of 260 around 8:19am and the air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’.

Pakistan’s Lahore and Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar were on top two positions on the list of cities with the worst air with scores of 458 and 269 respectively.

Everyone may experience more serious health effects when the AQI score is between 201 and 300.

When the value is more than 300, the air quality is considered hazardous and the entire population is more likely to be affected.

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

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants - Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3). The Department of Environment has also set national ambient air quality standards for these pollutants. These standards aim to protect against adverse human health impacts.

Dhaka, an overcrowded megacity, has long been grappling with air pollution. The air quality usually improves during monsoon.