Dhaka Air Quality Drops to Fourth Most Polluted Globally Despite Recent Rainfall
Photo Collected
Dhaka ranked as the world’s fourth most polluted city on Wednesday morning, despite localized rainfall in the capital on Tuesday evening that typically helps clear the air during the month of June.
Data from the Swiss-based air quality monitoring platform IQAir recorded an air quality index (AQI) score of 134 at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time. This reading classifies the city’s air as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” a category that includes children, the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with underlying health conditions.
While global air pollution levels have generally trended downward following the end of the dry season in April, Dhaka continues to struggle with localized hotspots. IQAir identified eight specific areas within the capital experiencing particularly poor air quality. Agargaon topped the list with an AQI score of 147, teetering on the edge of the “unhealthy” threshold of 150. Other locations experiencing significant pollution included Baridhara Park Road, Baridhara Lake Side, Gulshan Lake Park, Becharam Deuri, Abdullahbag in North Badda, and the vicinity of Grace International School in Gulshan.
Uganda’s capital, Kampala, currently leads the global list of most polluted cities with an AQI score of 173.
To mitigate health risks, IQAir has issued a series of precautions for Dhaka residents. Authorities advise that members of sensitive groups should wear masks when outdoors and avoid strenuous physical exercise. Furthermore, households are encouraged to keep windows closed as much as possible to limit exposure to pollutants.
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