Dhaka air 2nd most polluted in the world this morning

Dhaka ranked second in the list of cities around the world with the worst air quality as it registered an air quality index (AQI) score of 194 at 9:05 am today, which puts the capital in the "unhealthy" category.

An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be "unhealthy" while 201 and 300 is considered "very unhealthy", and 301 to 400 "hazardous", posing serious health risks to residents.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria 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.