Dhaka Ranks World’s Most Polluted City Today

Dhaka topped the list of the world’s most polluted cities on Tuesday, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 217, indicating “very unhealthy” air quality.

The city’s air pollution is being driven by the presence of dust, smoke and harmful particulate matter, affecting daily life and posing health risks to residents.

Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia ranked second on the list with an AQI score of 194, followed by Kolkata in India with a score of 175. Delhi, also in India, ranked fourth with the same score of 175, while Singapore ranked fifth with an AQI of 161.

According to AQI standards, a score of 0–50 indicates “good” air quality, while 51–100 is considered “moderate.” A score of 101–150 is classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” 151–200 as “unhealthy,” 201–300 as “very unhealthy,” and above 300 as “hazardous.”

Bangladesh’s AQI is determined based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3).

A joint report by Bangladesh’s Department of Environment and the World Bank identified brick kilns, vehicle emissions and dust from construction sites as major sources of air pollution in Dhaka.

The World Health Organization says exposure to air pollution increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. Air pollution is estimated to cause around seven million deaths worldwide each year.