Dhaka Tops Pollution Charts: Saturday Morning Sees Alarming Air Quality Levels

Dhaka, the bustling capital of Bangladesh, has been facing severe air pollution. On Saturday morning, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) hit a staggering 184, making it the worst in the world at that time.

This level of pollution is classified as ‘unhealthy,’ posing serious health risks to those living there. The AQI indicates how clean or polluted the air is, and it also highlights potential health concerns for residents.

The AQI uses a scale to describe air quality:

• 50 to 100: Moderate
• 101 to 150: Unhealthy for sensitive groups
• 151 to 200: Unhealthy
• 201 to 300: Very unhealthy
• 301 and above: Hazardous

On the same day, cities like Kampala in Uganda, Krakow in Poland, and Kathmandu in Nepal also reported poor air quality, with AQI scores ranging from 178 to 168.

Air quality in Bangladesh is monitored based on five key pollutants: PM10, PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Unfortunately, Dhaka often experiences worsening air quality during the winter, with improvement typically seen in the monsoon season.

The World Health Organization highlights the serious impact of air pollution globally, estimating that it claims around seven million lives each year. The main health problems linked to poor air quality include strokes, heart disease, and respiratory infections.