United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka's air quality remained in the ‘moderate’ category on Friday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 75. The capital ranked 28th on the list of the world's most polluted cities at 11:45am, according to the AQI scale. At the time, Pakistan's Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 199, followed by Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 175 and Malaysia's Kuching with 163. On Thursday, Dhaka ranked 37th on the list, with an AQI score of 64 recorded at 10:22am. An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered "moderate" with an acceptable air quality while AQI between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while a score between 151 and 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. AQI readings between 201 and 300 are termed ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 301 is considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI is a daily indicator of air quality, showing how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects people may experience. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution. Air quality usually worsens during winter and improves in the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked 37th among the world's most polluted cities on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 64 at 10:22 am. The air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that the air quality is generally acceptable, although unusually sensitive people may experience some health effects, according to the AQI scale. DR Congo’s Kinshasa topped the list with an AQI score of 239. Malaysia’s Kuching and Pakistan’s Lahore jointly ranked second, with AQI scores of 194 each. Dubai of the United Arab Emirates ranked third, with an AQI score of 157. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked 50th among the world's most polluted cities on Wednesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 55 at 10:22 am. The air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that the air quality is generally acceptable, although unusually sensitive people may experience some health effects, according to the AQI scale. Pakistan's Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 207. DR Congo’s Kinshasa and Kuching of the Malaysia ranked second and third, respectively, with AQI scores of 198 and 177. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked 18th among the world's most polluted cities on Tuesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 86 at 11:30 am. The air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that the air quality is generally acceptable, although unusually sensitive people may experience some health effects, according to the AQI scale. Pakistan's Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 181. India’s Delhi and Hanoi of the Vietnam ranked second and third, respectively, with AQI scores of 181 and 177. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked 23rd among the world’s most polluted cities on Monday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 79 at 8:45 am. According to the AQI ranking, the capital’s air quality was classified as ‘moderate’. Kinshasa, the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India’s Delhi and Pakistan’s Lahore occupied the top three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 187, 185 and 170, respectively. Under the AQI scale, a reading between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’, indicating generally acceptable air quality. However, unusually sensitive individuals may experience minor health concerns and are advised to limit prolonged outdoor exertion. An AQI reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while 151–200 is categorised as ‘unhealthy’. Readings between 201 and 300 are regarded as ‘very unhealthy’, and levels above 301 are considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks to the population. The AQI is an index used to report daily air quality and inform people about how clean or polluted the air is, as well as the potential health effects associated with pollution levels. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Air quality typically worsens during the winter months and improves with the arrival of the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes around seven million deaths worldwide each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Rainfall has improved Dhaka’s air quality to the “moderate” category, with the city recording an air quality index (AQI) score of 61 on Sunday morning. The rain, which lashed different parts of the capital, helped improve the city’s air quality, which often deteriorates during the dry season. With an AQI score of 61 at 11:45am, Dhaka ranked 36th on the list of world cities with the worst air quality. Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, India’s Delhi and Malaysia’s Kuching occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 172, 167 and 165, respectively. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, between 150 and 200 is “unhealthy”, between 201 and 300 is said to be “very unhealthy”, while a reading of 301+ is considered “hazardous”, posing serious health risks to residents. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five 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.

Dhaka ranked 4th among the world’s cities with the worst air quality on Friday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 165 at 8:30 am. The air quality was classified as “unhealthy,” meaning the concentration of pollutants in the air had reached a level that could pose health risks to the general population, according to the AQI scale. Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur and Kuching occupied the top two spots on the global pollution list, with AQI scores of 206 and 191, respectively, followed by Pakistan’s Lahore with a score of 171. An AQI reading of 101 to 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while 151 to 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 301 is categorized as ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI provides a daily indication of air quality by measuring the level of pollution and its potential impact on human health. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long faced serious air pollution problems, with air quality generally deteriorating during the winter months and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution contributes to around 7 million deaths worldwide every year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked 19th among the world's most polluted cities on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 93 at 10:30 am. The air quality was classified as 'Moderate', indicating that the air quality is generally acceptable, although unusually sensitive people may experience some health effects, according to the AQI scale. China's Beijing topped the list with an AQI score of 175. Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta of the Indonesia ranked second and third, respectively, with AQI scores of 165 and 160. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Egypt is seeking to build its renewable energy industry by manufacturing wind turbines domestically, a strategy that could offer lessons to other African countries trying to expand clean-energy production. Egypt has signed an agreement with Chinese company SANY Renewable Energy to develop a 2,000-megawatt wind power project in the Gulf of Suez, along with the country's first wind turbine manufacturing plant. The wind project is expected to be connected to Egypt's national grid within 23 months after the final agreements are signed. The factory is expected to supply turbines for the Egyptian market and potentially export equipment to other countries in Africa and the Middle East. Although the project is still in its early stages, energy experts say its focus on large-scale production, local manufacturing and technology transfer could provide useful lessons for African countries that have struggled to turn renewable energy plans into working infrastructure. Nigeria's experience shows the challenge. A 10-megawatt wind farm there took nearly two decades to begin generating electricity. The contrast highlights a wider problem for Africa: moving beyond imported equipment and project announcements to developing the financing, industrial capacity and stable policies needed to deliver renewable energy projects. “The contrasts are stark,” said Fadhel Kaboub, an associate professor of economics at Ohio's Denison University. “We have a project in Nigeria that took two decades to come online, whereas we have this one project in Egypt that looks like it's going to really take off.” Egypt's plan brings opportunities and risksKaboub cautioned that Egypt's project has not yet proved successful. However, he said its large scale, manufacturing component and partnership with a Chinese technology company could improve its chances of attracting investment and being completed quickly. “For manufacturing anything to be profitable, efficient and successful, you need economies of scale,” he said. “The problem with every African country is that our internal markets are too small. We don't have the economies of scale to industrialize one country at a time.” Egypt's plan is part of a wider effort to develop renewable energy technology locally, increase domestic production and use the country's trade connections to export equipment. The government has said the factory will reduce dependence on imported equipment while creating an industrial base around renewable energy. However, the plan also carries risks. Kaboub said Egypt must ensure that its partnership with SANY includes genuine technology transfer rather than creating another form of dependence on foreign manufacturers. “If the Chinese partner fully retains control over the technology and there's really no transfer of technology, then we're looking at another cycle of dependence,” he said. Nigeria's experience shows importance of project designNigeria's experience demonstrates that how a renewable energy project is structured can be as important as the technology used. The 10-megawatt Lambar Rimi wind farm in Katsina state was awarded to French turbine maker Vergnet in 2010, with completion planned for 2012. Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the project was designed to use 37 turbines, each capable of producing 275 kilowatts. The project remained stalled for years before the Katsina state government took it over. It was finally commissioned in September 2025 after the state added 10 megawatts of solar power capacity. Dr Dola Oluteye, founder of the PATNA Initiative and a senior fellow in energy and transport policy at University College London's Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, said the comparison should not simply be presented as a failure by Nigeria and a success by Egypt. “The useful question is what Egypt has built into its project structure that Nigeria left unresolved for years,” Oluteye said. “The cost of capital is the binding constraint, not the resource.” The International Energy Agency says the cost of capital for utility-scale clean-energy projects in Africa is at least two to three times higher than in advanced economies and China. Africa receives about 2% of global clean-energy investment despite being home to roughly one-fifth of the world's population. Oluteye said Egypt's decision to structure the new wind project in local currency is particularly important because it can reduce the currency mismatch that affects African power projects financed in US dollars but generating revenue in local currencies. Africa could use its market to secure better termsThe manufacturing component could also affect the economics and future negotiations surrounding renewable energy projects. “While Nigeria purchased 37 turbines, Egypt is attempting to buy the capability to make them,” Oluteye said. African countries could combine their markets to negotiate better conditions with technology providers, including agreements on local manufacturing and technology transfer. “If we form a negotiating bloc with a joint industrial policy, we can probably get better terms for technology transfer and joint ventures that could transform the continent at scale,” Kaboub said. For Nigeria, the challenge is not simply finding more wind resources. “If something is new, especially in Africa, you want to pilot it first,” Kaboub said, stressing the need for stronger feasibility studies, affordable financing, clear project ownership and consistent policies. “The implementation of policy is what is critical, not the fact that you have 50 policies on your website or in your government documents,” he said.

Dhaka ranked second among the world's most polluted cities on Wednesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 165 at 9:50 am. The air quality was classified as 'unhealthy', indicating that pollutant levels had reached a level that could pose health risks to the general population, according to the AQI scale. Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur topped the list with an AQI score of 194. Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City and Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo ranked third and fourth, respectively, with AQI scores of 162 and 156. According to AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', while 151 to 200 is classified as 'unhealthy'. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy', while levels above 301 are deemed 'hazardous', posing serious health risks. The AQI provides daily updates on air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and highlighting potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during winter and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.