Dhaka ranked 5th among the world’s most polluted cities on Friday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 171 recorded at 9:10am.
The air quality was categorised as ‘unhealthy’, indicating a significant risk to public health, according to AQI standards.
Egypt’s Cairo topped the list with an AQI of 658, followed by India’s Delhi (328), Thailand’s Chiang Mai (205), and Nepal’s Kathmandu (181).
An AQI reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while 151–200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. Levels of 201–300 are deemed ‘very unhealthy’, and readings above 301 are labelled ‘hazardous’, posing severe health risks.
The AQI, which tracks daily air quality, indicates how polluted the air is and the potential health impact on residents.
In Bangladesh, AQI measurements are based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and ozone.
Dhaka has long battled air pollution, with conditions typically worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season.
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million deaths worldwide each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.