Dhaka air remains unhealthy at AQI 151, ranked 16th as Lahore tops the pollution list
The air quality in Dhaka has remained at an unhealthy level today as well. On Friday (23 October) at 10am, the capital’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was 151.
At the same time, Lahore in Pakistan topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities with an AQI of 398. Dhaka stood 16th on the list.
On the previous day, Thursday, Dhaka’s AQI was 157, which was also unhealthy. In other words, despite a slight improvement in a day, the category of the air quality has not changed.
According to real-time data from the Swiss-based air quality monitoring organisation IQAir, India’s capital Delhi is second on the polluted cities list today with an AQI of 228.
Mumbai is third with a score of 178. Dhaka, with a score of 151, is in 16th place — lower than neighbouring large cities, but still unhealthy for its own residents.
An AQI score between zero and 50 is considered good. A score of 51 to 100 is considered moderate or acceptable.
A score of 101 to 150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and above 301 is considered hazardous.
By that measure, Dhaka’s score of 151 today sits right at the start of the unhealthy category. It calls for caution not only for sensitive groups but for the general public as well.
This picture of air pollution has long been a health concern for residents of the capital. Because air quality is directly linked to respiratory problems and other health risks, this daily index has become important to many people.
The presence of South Asian cities such as Lahore, Delhi and Mumbai at the top of the world’s polluted cities list highlights the severity of air pollution across the region. Dhaka is part of that same regional reality.
If the situation does not improve, Dhaka’s air may remain at an unhealthy level in the coming days as well. What remains to be seen is which way the AQI moves next.
