Dhaka’s air unhealthy this morning

On the morning of the first working day this week, Sunday, Dhaka ranked third among 124 cities worldwide in terms of air pollution, according to the Swiss-based organisation IQ Air.

IQ Air regularly reports on air pollution levels. The live or real-time index it provides informs and alerts people about cleanliness or pollution levels of the air in a particular city.

At 8:30 AM today, Dhaka’s average air quality index (AQI) stood at 201, which is categorised as ‘very unhealthy’.

Among the areas in and around the capital where air quality is severely polluted are Hemayetpur in Savar (310), the United States Embassy in Dhaka (253) and Shanta Forum in Tejgaon (211).

If the air quality index (AQI) in a region remains above 300 for three consecutive days, a public health emergency is declared. In Dhaka, the AQI exceeded 300 on multiple days last January.

Today, air quality in other divisional cities is also poor. The AQI in Chattogram is 104, in Rajshahi 167 and in Khulna 161.

In its advisory to the residents of Dhaka, IQ Air has recommended that for good health, wearing a mask is essential when going outside. Outdoor exercise should be avoided and windows should be kept closed.

The primary component of Dhaka’s air pollution is the presence of ultrafine particulate matter or PM2.5. The concentration of PM2.5 in Dhaka’s air is nearly 25 times higher than the standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

During December and January, the residents of the capital did not experience a single day of clean air. A survey conducted by the research organisation CAPs on pollution-related issues found that air pollution levels in December were the highest in the past nine years.