Dhaka's air quality was in the moderate level on Sunday morning, ranking 21st among cities with the worst air pollution worldwide.

At 9:20 am, the capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 76, indicating moderate air quality, according to the AQI monitoring platform IQAir.

A moderate AQI suggests that air quality is generally acceptable. However, people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution may experience minor to moderate health concerns if exposed for prolonged periods.

Kampala, Uganda, topped the list of the world's most polluted cities with an AQI score of 198, followed by Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a score of 182. Both cities recorded air quality classified as unhealthy.

The AQI is calculated based on the concentration of major air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and ozone (O₃).

According to the AQI scale, a score between 51 and 100 is considered moderate, while 101–150 is deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151–200 is unhealthy, 201–300 is very unhealthy, and 301 or above is classified as hazardous, posing serious health risks to the entire population.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically deteriorating during the dry winter months and improving during the monsoon season due to rainfall and stronger winds.

The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.