Dhaka’s air quality turns moderate on Monday

The air quality in Dhaka remained moderate on Monday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 76 at 9 am.

With this score, the capital ranked 26th among the world's most polluted cities.

Pakistan's Lahore, Indonesia's Jakarta and Malaysia's Kuching occupied the top three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 183, 177 and 176, respectively.

An AQI score between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with acceptable air quality, while one between 101 and 150 is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," and a score between 151 and 200 is classified as "unhealthy."

AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed "very unhealthy," and anything above 301 is considered "hazardous," posing serious health risks.

The AQI is a daily indicator of air quality, showing how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects people may experience.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone, reports UNB.