United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka ranked fifth among the world’s most polluted cities on Monday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 148 at 9:45 am. According to the latest AQI data, Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with a hazardous score of 367, followed by India’s Delhi in second position with a score of 204. Kampala secured the third spot with an AQI reading of 164, indicating unhealthy air quality levels. Dhaka’s AQI score of 148 placed it in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, meaning people with respiratory issues, children and the elderly may experience health effects. The AQI is an index used to report daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and what associated health effects might be a concern. Air pollution in Dhaka has remained a persistent problem, particularly during the dry season, due to factors such as construction work, brick kilns, vehicle emissions and dust. Health experts advise residents to limit prolonged outdoor activities and use protective measures, such as masks, during periods of poor air quality.

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked 12th among the world’s most polluted cities on Monday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 83 at 8:40am. According to the AQI index, Dhaka’s air quality was classified as ‘moderate’, posing a slight health risk. Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi and Nepal’s Kathmandu topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities, with AQI scores of 188, 173 and 154 respectively. An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while a score between 151 and 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. Readings between 201 and 300 are termed ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 301 is regarded as ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI measures daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and the possible health effects on people. 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 with the arrival of the monsoon season. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.  

The densely populated capital of Bangladesh has once again topped the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Dhaka was recorded at 193 at 9: 01 am on Tuesday India’s Delhi, China’s Wuhan and Beijing  ranked second, third and fourth respectively, with AQI scores of  165, 158 and 158, according to IQAir, a real-time air quality information platform. An AQI reading between 101 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’, particularly for sensitive groups. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, while 301 to 400 is classified as ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI is used by government agencies to report daily air quality and inform the public about pollution levels and possible health impacts. In Bangladesh, the index 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 severe air pollution, with conditions typically worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season. Air pollution remains one of the leading global health risks. Exposure to polluted air increases the risk of heart disease, chronic respiratory illness, lung infections and cancer, according to multiple studies. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes around seven million premature deaths worldwide each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka’s air quality ranked the second worst in the world on Sunday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 163 recorded at 9:45am, according to IQAir. An AQI score of 160 falls under the “unhealthy” category, indicating that air pollution poses health risks to residents, particularly for sensitive groups such as children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions. Pakistan’s Lahore ranked top in the list with an AQI of 195 while India’s Delhi (156) is in the third position. Cities with high AQI levels typically experience increased concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause various health problems. Air quality in Dhaka often deteriorates during the dry season due to factors such as construction dust, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution and reduced rainfall. Health experts advise residents to limit outdoor activities, wear masks when outside and keep windows closed to reduce exposure during periods of poor air quality. The AQI is a daily indicator used to report air quality levels and their potential impact on human health.

Dhaka ranked top among the world’s most polluted cities on Tuesday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 169 recorded at 10:00am. The air quality was categorised as “unhealthy”, indicating a significant risk to public health, according to AQI standards. Kuwait’s Kuwait City ranked 2nd in the list with an AQI of 157 while India’s Delhi (155) is in the third position. An AQI reading between 151 and 200 is considered “unhealthy”, while 101-150 is classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. 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.

Dhaka, Bangladesh’s densely populated capital, ranked second among the world’s most polluted cities on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 253 at 10:30 am. The air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’, posing serious health risks, according to the AQI report of IQAir, a Swiss free real-time air quality monitoring platform. Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list, while Kolkata, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal, ranked third and fourth with AQIs of 197 and 185, respectively. By contrast, Batam and Medan in Indonesia recorded the world’s cleanest air with an AQI of 0. According to the AQI scale, a reading between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’, with generally acceptable air quality, though sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. AQI levels of 101–150 are ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151–200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201–300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and readings above 301 are considered ‘hazardous’, posing severe health risks. The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated 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 struggled with air pollution. Air quality usually deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked fourth among cities worldwide with the worst air quality on Friday morning. The capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 189 at 10:00am, which was classified as “unhealthy”, according to IQAir. Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 217. Nepal’s Kathmandu ranked second with a score of 193, while India’s Delhi placed third, also recording an AQI score of 193. An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered unhealthy, meaning everyone may begin to experience health effects, with sensitive groups facing more serious risks. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 151 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. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.  

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked fourth among the world’s most polluted cities on Thursday morning (January 22, 2026), recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 240 at 9:23 am. Today, the city’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’, indicating a serious health threat, according to the AQI report. Read more: Bicycling could cut emissions in Global South with policy support: Study Lahore in Pakistan, Delhi in India, and Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina occupied the first, second, and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 368, 317, and 265 respectively. According to the AQI scale, a reading between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’, with generally acceptable air quality, though sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. AQI levels of 101–150 are ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151–200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201–300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and readings above 301 are considered ‘hazardous’, posing severe health risks. The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Dhaka's air quality remains ‘very unhealthy’ Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Air quality usually deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked third among the world’s most polluted cities on tuesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 296 at 9:02 am. Today (January 20, 2026), the city’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’, indicating a serious health threat, according to the AQI report. Read more: Weather likely to remain unchanged: BMD Lahore in Pakistan, Delhi in India, and Kolkata in India occupied the first, second, and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 558, 450, and 284 respectively. According to the AQI scale, a reading between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’, with generally acceptable air quality, though sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. AQI levels of 101–150 are ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151–200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201–300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and readings above 301 are considered ‘hazardous’, posing severe health risks. The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated 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 struggled with air pollution. Air quality usually deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season. Read more: Dhaka's air quality remains ‘very unhealthy’ The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka, the densely populated capital of Bangladesh, ranked third among the world’s most polluted cities on Monday morning (January 19, 2026), recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 272 at 8:58 am. Today, the city’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’, indicating a serious health threat, according to the AQI report. Delhi in India, Lahore in Pakistan, and Kolkata in India occupied the first, second, and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 541, 312, and 204 respectively. Read more: Air pollution: 5 ways to protect yourself from poor air quality According to the AQI scale, a reading between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’, with generally acceptable air quality, though sensitive individuals should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. AQI levels of 101–150 are ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151–200 is ‘unhealthy’, 201–300 is ‘very unhealthy’, and readings above 301 are considered ‘hazardous’, posing severe health risks. The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents how clean or polluted the air is and highlights potential health effects. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Dhaka's air quality turns ‘very unhealthy’ Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Air quality usually deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes about seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.