Dhaka’s air quality remained in the “unhealthy” category on Friday morning, posing continued health risks to city residents, according to air quality monitoring data.
The capital of Bangladesh ranked 11th among cities with the worst air pollution, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 161 at 8:15 a.m. India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore, and India’s Kolkata topped the global list, with AQI readings of 615, 275, and 252, respectively.
According to the AQI scale, values between 50 and 100 are considered “moderate,” while readings between 101 and 150 are “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Scores between 151 and 200 are “unhealthy,” 201 to 300 are “very unhealthy,” and readings above 301 are classified as “hazardous,” posing serious health risks to the general population.
The AQI measures daily air quality based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone (O₃). It indicates how polluted the air is and what health effects may be of concern for residents.
Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution, particularly during the dry winter months, when dust and emissions from construction, brick kilns, and traffic congestion worsen air quality. Conditions typically improve during the monsoon season as rainfall helps to clear airborne pollutants.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes an estimated seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Source: UNB
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
