New Delhi, Dhaka see thick layers of toxic smog, poor air quality

A new report has revealed that the capitals of India and Bangladesh are blanketed by a thick layer of toxic smog, as air quality plummets in both New Delhi and Dhaka.

Dhaka briefly emerged as the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday, with a “hazardous” index level of 325, according to Swiss climate monitor IQAir.

The air quality in Dhaka, one of the world’s most crowded cities with more than 20 million residents, has declined in recent years as fossil fuels are overused, bringing health problems for the people.

According to the World Bank, air pollution, which is often a mix of solid particles, liquid droplets and gasses,  accounts for one-fifth of deaths in Bangladesh each year.

In New Delhi, which often leads the world’s most polluted list, the AQI index on Wednesday read 378, according to the Central Pollution Control Board – a rating of “very poor”.