Moderate air quality in Dhaka

Dhaka ranked 15th on the list of cities with the worst air quality on Tuesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 87.

With this score, the capital’s air quality was classified as “moderate,” indicating acceptable air conditions, though there may be a slight health concern for a small number of unusually sensitive individuals.

According to the AQI ranking at 9:00 am, Santiago, Chile, topped the list with a score of 160, followed by Wuhan, China with 153, Jakarta, Indonesia with 140, and Delhi, India with 135.

An AQI score between 51 and 100 is considered moderate, while scores between 101 and 150 are deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups. Scores between 151 and 200 are categorized as unhealthy.
The AQI measures air quality based on five major pollutants — particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO?), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO?), and ozone.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during the dry winter months and improving during the monsoon season.

Air pollution remains a major public health concern, contributing to respiratory illnesses and other health complications worldwide, according to environmental experts and health authorities.