<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Dhaka has topped the list of cities around the world with the worst air quality this morning (January 15, 2023).</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 285 at 9:30 am on Sunday, Dhaka ranked first in the list of cities with worst air.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be ‘unhealthy’ while 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and 301 to 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">India’s Delhi, Bishkek of Kyrgyzstan occupied the second and third places with an AQI of 193 and 190 respectively.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>