The Department of Environment (DoE) on Monday advised residents of Dhaka and its surrounding areas to mandatorily wear facemasks outdoors, as the capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached a very unhealthy level at 10:00 am, according to an official release.
The department also urged sensitive individuals (such as the ill, elderly, and children) to avoid going outside unless absolutely necessary, reports BSS.
It noted that the AQI in Dhaka and its neighboring areas sometimes fluctuates from unhealthy to a more vulnerable stage during the dry season, as the air quality index changes every hour.
The AQI is regularly updated through the air quality monitoring center's information on the DoE's website (https://doe.portal.gov.bd/), the release added.
Bd-pratidin English/Fariha Nowshin Chinika
