Dhaka, the overcrowded capital of Bangladesh, has again ranked first on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 219 at 8:50 am on Thursday.
Today’s air was classified as 'very unhealthy’, referring to a grave health threat to residents, according to the AQI index.
The air continued to be the world's worst for the second consecutive day on Thursday, the last working day of the week, reports UNB.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
Uganda’s Kampala, China’s Wuhan and Vietnam’s Hanoi cities respectively occupied the second, third and fourth spots on the list.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Bd-pratidin English/Fariha Nowshin Chinika
