Dhaka air again world's most polluted

Dhaka has topped once again the list of cities globally with the worst air quality. Dhaka’s air was classified as 'very unhealthy', with an AQI score of 262 at 08:51 am today (December 13).

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Lahore and Karachi and India’s Kolkata occupied the second, third and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 196, 193 and 191, respectively.

An AQI score between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy', and 301-400 is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents.

The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. However, Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.

World Health Organization (WHO) said, air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.