Dhaka, the overcrowded capital of Bangladesh, ranked 9th among cities with the worst air quality on Monday morning recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 93 at 9:10 am. 

According to the AQI index, Dhaka’s air was classified as “moderate,” posing a light health threat. This was the second consecutive day the city experienced moderate air quality.

Uganda’s Kampala and Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with AQI scores of 184, while the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai ranked third with 153.

The AQI measures daily air quality based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone. Readings between 50–100 are considered “moderate,” while scores above 150 indicate unhealthy levels, and 301+ is deemed hazardous.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, which typically worsens during winter and improves in the monsoon season. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, linked to heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, respiratory infections, and chronic illnesses.

MN/