Dhaka's air quality remains 'unhealthy'

The capital of Bangladesh ranked fifth among the world's cities with the worst air pollution on Sunday morning. Dhaka's air quality index (AQI) was 175 (unhealthy) at 11:25am.

On the first, second, and third spot, Pakistan's Lahore had an AQI of 1073 (Hazardous), followed by India's Mumbai, with an AQI of 456 (Hazardous), and Kolkata, with an AQI of 182 (Unhealthy).

An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants – Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.

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.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people per 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.