Dhaka's air quality continues to be in the 'unhealthy' zone. With an air quality index (AQI) score of 187 at 8:34 am on Thursday, Dhaka ranked second in the list of world's most polluted cities, reports UNB.
An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy', particularly for sensitive groups.
Pakistan’s Karachi and India’s Kolkata occupied the first and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 188 and 184, respectively.
An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be 'poor', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.