Online Report : The air quality in Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, was classified as ‘moderate’ on Friday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 90 at 9:50 AM.

This marks the third consecutive day of moderate air conditions in the city.

With this AQI reading, Dhaka ranked 16th among cities with the poorest air quality globally. According to the AQI scale, a score between 51 and 100 indicates `moderate` air quality; generally acceptable but potentially concerning for sensitive individuals, who are advised to limit prolonged outdoor exertion.

For comparison, the top three cities with the worst air quality today were Doha in Qatar (AQI 260), Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (AQI 182) and Kampala in Uganda (AQI 163).

The AQI serves as a tool to inform the public about daily air pollution levels and associated health risks. In Bangladesh, the index is calculated based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO?), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO?), and ground-level ozone (O?).

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, which typically worsens during the dry winter months and shows some improvement during the monsoon season.

Globally, air pollution remains a major health crisis. According to World Health Organization (WHO), it contributes to the deaths of approximately seven million people each year, primarily from conditions such as stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and respiratory infections.