News update
  • ‘With Science, We Can Feed the World of 9.7 Billion by 2050′     |     
  • WHO warns of severe disruptions to health services for funding cuts     |     
  • ICJ hears Sudan’s case accusing UAE of ‘complicity in genocide’     |     
  • Bombardment, deprivation and displacement continue in Gaza     |     
  • Aged and Alone: The hidden pains in old age homes     |     

Dhaka’s air quality, still ‘unhealthy’ - 4th worst in world

Special Correspondent Air 2024-04-17, 9:36am

dhaka-air-pollution-cccd6e11569bc59e28993e8311c3683b1713324975.jpg

No improvement in Dhaka’s air quality, still ‘unhealthy’



Dhaka, Apr 17 - Dhaka's air quality has been identified as ‘unhealthy’ this morning.

With an air quality index (AQI) score of 159 at 08:56am, Dhaka ranked 4th on the list of cities around the world with the worst air quality.

Pakistan’s Lahore, Nepal’s Kathmandu and India’s Delhi occupied the first three spots, with AQI scores of 172, 167 and 163, respectively.

When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 151 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', and a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.

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

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