Rainfall has improved Dhaka’s air quality, with the capital ranking 15th among cities with the worst air at 10:20am Friday, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 93.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department classified the air as “moderate,” posing a light health risk. This comes a day after Dhaka ranked fifth with an AQI score of 127, considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
According to the AQI scale, a score of 50–100 is “moderate,” 101–150 is “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” 151–200 is “unhealthy,” 201–300 is “very unhealthy,” and above 301 is “hazardous.”
On Friday, Kinshasa (DR Congo), Lahore (Pakistan), and Jakarta (Indonesia) occupied the top three spots with AQI scores of 160, 154, and 154 respectively.
The AQI in Bangladesh is measured based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone (O₃).
Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution, which worsens in winter due to increased dust and emissions, but generally improves during the monsoon.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates air pollution kills around seven million people globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
MN/
