Dhaka [Bangladesh], November 17 (ANI): The capital city of Bangladesh ranked fourth among cities with the worst air quality globally on Sunday, registering a hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 234 at 9 am.

This classification falls under the "very unhealthy" category, indicating significant risks to residents' health, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Be Honoured With Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, Queen Elizabeth Sole Foreign Dignitary To Receive GCON.

The AQI is a global standard used to report daily air quality and assess its potential health impacts. In Dhaka, the air quality has consistently remained poor over the past several days. For context, AQI values between 201 and 300 are deemed "very unhealthy," signifying serious health hazards, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Cities faring even worse than Dhaka include Delhi in India, Lahore in Pakistan, and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which recorded AQI scores of 666, 358, and 272, respectively.

Also Read | Victoria Kjaer Theilvig Crowned Miss Universe 2024 Winner: Denmark's Beauty Queen Becomes First-Ever Danish Contestant To Win the Prestigious Pageant (View Pics).

Air quality in Dhaka typically worsens during the winter, when colder temperatures and seasonal activities make pollution levels soar, and improves during the monsoon season, reported the Dhaka Tribune.

The AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.

Air pollution has been a longstanding issue for Dhaka, with its dense population, rapid urbanization, and unregulated industrial emissions contributing to worsening conditions.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is a global health crisis, causing an estimated seven million deaths annually due to increased risks of stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections.

With its current ranking, Dhaka joins a growing list of cities struggling to mitigate air pollution, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Addressing this issue requires coordinated efforts, stricter regulations, and innovative solutions to safeguard public health and the environment. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)