Dhaka tops global list for worst air quality on Thursday

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh’s densely populated capital Dhaka ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Thursday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 271 at 9:13am. According to the AQI report, the city’s air quality was classified as “very unhealthy”, indicating a serious risk to public health.

Bishkek. the capital city of Kyrgyzstan ranked second with an AQI of 215, followed by Karachi in Pakistan at 208 and Kolkata in India at 200.

Under the AQI scale, readings between 50 and 100 are considered moderate and generally acceptable, although sensitive individuals are advised to limit prolonged outdoor activities.

Levels of 101–150 are deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151–200 unhealthy, 201–300 very unhealthy, and readings above 301 are classified as hazardous, posing severe health threats.

The AQI provides a daily assessment of air pollution levels, helping residents understand air quality conditions and their potential health impacts. In Bangladesh, the index is calculated using five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO?), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO?), and ozone.
On Wednesday morning, Dhaka ranked as the second most polluted city globally. The capital has long been grappling with severe air pollution, which typically worsens during the winter months and improves during the monsoon season.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for approximately seven million deaths worldwide each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.