AQI: Dhaka third most polluted city in world

Dhaka ranked third on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality with an Air Quality Index score of 206 at 9am on Thursday.

Its air was classified as very unhealthy, according to the air quality and pollution city ranking.

India's Delhi and Pakistan’s Lahore occupied the first and second spots on the list, with AQI scores of 267 and 237, respectively.

An AQI score between 151 and 200 is considered unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy and 301-400 is deemed hazardous, posing severe health risks to residents.

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 score 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.