‘Very unhealthy’ air quality continues in Dhaka risking life

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital of Bangladesh, ranked third among cities with the worst air quality, recording an AQI score of 262 at 9:30 am today (Nov 10).

The city’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy,’ indicating an alarming health risk, according to the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Although Dhaka had experienced ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ or ‘unhealthy’ air quality in recent days, it continued to remain ‘very unhealthy’ for the second consecutive day on Monday, raising concerns over public health.

According to the AQI scale, when the value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate,’ and sensitive individuals are advised to limit prolonged outdoor activity. A reading between 101 and 150 is deemed ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ between 151 and 200 ‘unhealthy,’ between 201 and 300 ‘very unhealthy,’ and 301 or higher ‘hazardous,’ posing serious health risks to residents.

India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore, and India’s Kolkata occupied the first, second, and fourth spots respectively, with AQI scores of 490, 394, and 262.

The AQI, which measures daily air quality, indicates how clean or polluted the air in a city is and what health effects might be associated with it.

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

Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution, which typically worsens in winter and improves during the monsoon.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes an estimated seven million deaths globally each year, primarily due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.