The worst city in the world for air quality is once again Dhaka.
Dhaka topped the list of cities with the worst air on Thursday at 8:53 a.m. with an air quality index score of 251.
A measurement of AQI between 201 and 300 is deemed “extremely unhealthy,” while one between 301 and 400 is deemed “hazardous,” causing significant health hazards to locals.
With an AQI score of 201 and 192, respectively, Kolkata in India and Hanoi in Vietnam held the second and third positions on the list.
A level of AQI between 101 and 200 is deemed “unhealthy,” especially for vulnerable populations, while a reading between 301 and 400 is deemed “hazardous,” offering significant health hazards to locals.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five criterion pollutants: ozone, NO2, CO, SO2, and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5).
Air pollution has always been a problem in Dhaka. Winter is often when the air quality deteriorates, and monsoon season is when it gets better.
One of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide continues to be air pollution. Numerous studies have shown that breathing contaminated air increases a person’s risk of heart disease, chronic respiratory conditions, lung infections, and cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution kills an estimated seven million people year throughout the world, primarily due to an increase in fatalities from heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and acute respiratory infections.