Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, recorded the worst air quality in the world on Saturday morning. According to the Air Quality and Pollution City Ranking, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 304, classified as ‘hazardous.’
An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy,’ while a range of 201-300 is ‘very unhealthy.’ Any reading between 301 and 400 is categorized as ‘hazardous,’ posing severe health risks to residents.
Beijing (China), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), and Baghdad (Iraq) ranked second, third, and fourth on the list, with AQI scores of 238, 220, and 179, respectively, according to the United News of Bangladesh.
The World Air Quality Report, which ranks cities based on pollution levels, is published by the Swiss-based organization IQAir. The AQI is used to report daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and its potential health effects. It specifically assesses the health impact people may experience within hours or days of exposure to polluted air.
The AQI is calculated based on five major air pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone.
Bangladesh has been struggling with severe air pollution. According to a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, air pollution is responsible for approximately 102,456 deaths annually in the country, as reported by The Daily Star.
A World Health Organization (WHO) report states that air pollution kills millions of people worldwide each year. WHO data also reveals that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. The organization is working with countries to monitor air pollution and improve air quality. From smog covering cities to indoor air pollution, poor air quality remains a major threat to both health and the climate.
IANS