With an AQI score of 228 at 9:00 am today, Bangladesh’s congested capital, Dhaka, has risen to the top of the list of cities with the worst air quality globally.
Dhaka’s air quality and pollution received a ‘very unhealthy’ rating.
Residents classify an AQI of 151 to 200 as “unhealthy,” 201-300 as “very unhealthy,” and 301-400 as “hazardous,” posing serious health risks.
With AQI scores of 226, 219, and 215, respectively, Lahore, Pakistan; Baghdad, Iraq; and Delhi, India, came in second, third, and fourth place on the list.
The AQI, an index used to report daily air quality, tells people how clean or polluted a city’s air is and what health risks may be linked to it.
The five pollutants that make up Bangladesh’s AQI are ozone, NO2, CO, SO2, and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5).
Air pollution has long been a problem in Bangladesh. Its air quality typically deteriorates during the winter and gets better during the monsoon season.