T The Daily Star বাংলা Most Viewed Picnic trip turns fatal for three univ students The tragic fate of stray animals in Japan Garden City Hasan Mahmud's comical U-turn Jamuna Future Park withdraws closure announcement Air pollution Dhaka's air quality 2nd worst in the world this morning UNB, Dhaka Sun Nov 24, 2024 09:23 AM Last update on: Sun Nov 24, 2024 09:34 AM facebook sharing buttontwitter sharing buttonwhatsapp sharing buttonemail sharing buttonsharethis sharing button Dhaka's air quality 'unhealthy', 5th worst in the world today Pedestrians cover their noses as dust shrouds a dilapidated part of Rampura-Banasree Road. Star file photo Dhaka has ranked the second on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 291 at 8:50am today. This morning's air was classified as "very unhealthy", according to the AQI index. Google News LinkFor all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered "moderate", usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups", between 150 and 200 is "unhealthy", between 201 and 300 is said to be "very unhealthy", while a reading of 301+ is considered "hazardous", posing serious health risks to residents. Pakistan's Lahore, India's Delhi and again India's Kolkata the first, third and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 399, 246 and 194 respectively. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.