Among the world’s 100 cities in terms of air pollution, the capital, Dhaka, is at the top this Thursday morning.
Dhaka scored 187 on IQAir’s air quality index at 8 a.m. today. This air quality is ‘unhealthy’.
Dhaka’s score was 104 at nine o’clock on Wednesday morning. Dhaka ranked ninth out of 119 cities in the world at that time. The air quality was ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’.
IQAir, a Switzerland-based organization, regularly highlights the situation of air pollution. This live or instant indicator of air quality informs and alerts people about how clean or polluted the air is in a particular city.
Around eight o’clock this morning, Pakistan’s Lahore was in second place after Dhaka in air pollution. The city ranks 177 on IQAir’s index. Cairo, Egypt’s third-place finish, scored 153.
According to IQAir criteria, a score of 51 to 100 is considered moderate or acceptable air quality.
A score of 101 to 150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. Sensitive groups include the elderly, children, sick people, and pregnant women. A score of 151 to 200 indicates unhealthy air.
A score of 201 to 300 indicates very unhealthy air. A score of 301 or higher is considered catastrophic or risky.
Among the advice given by IQAir to avoid air pollution in Dhaka, is to wear a mask when going outside the house. In addition, IQAir advises against exercising outdoors.