Dhaka’s air turns ‘unhealthy

City Desk :

Even on weekend, Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked sixth on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 119 at 9:30 am on Friday.

Dhaka’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ referring to a healthy threat, according to the AQI index, reports UNB.

However, the city experienced moderate air quality over the past few days. Suddenly it turned ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups.’

When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’, while a reading of 301+ is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks to residents.

Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kinshasa, United Arab Emirates’ Dubai and Uganda’s Kampala cities respectively occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 157, 156, and 147 respectively.

The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.