Dhaka’s air ‘hazardous’, worst in the world for 4th day straight

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Dhaka continued to occupy top spot in the list of cities around the world with the worst air quality for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday morning, 5 March 2023.

With an air quality index (AQI) score of 322 at 9am, Dhaka’s air quality remained in the ‘hazardous’ zone, reports UNB.

China’s Beijing, Pakistan’s Lahore, and India’s Mumbai occupied the second, third, and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 214, 210, and 197, respectively.

An AQI score from 151 to 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks to residents.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is measured based on five criteria pollutants – particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.

Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.

Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.

Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as a factor increasing people’s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections, and cancer in several studies.