Dhaka ranks 3rd worst in air quality index

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, continues to grapple for fresh air as the city ranks the third most polluted city.

Dhaka's air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 179 at 11:00 am on Monday, which is considered “unhealthy”.

India’s Kolkata and Pakistan’s Lahore occupied the top two spots with AQI scores of 191 and 190, respectively, in the latest list of world cities with the worst air quality which are also considered “unhealthy”.

An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be “unhealthy” particularly for sensitive groups.

AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.