Dhaka Ranks Fourth Globally in Air Pollution Index on Monday

Dhaka ranked fourth among cities with the worst air quality worldwide on Monday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 165 at 10:20am.

The city’s air quality was classified as “unhealthy”, according to the global air quality and pollution ranking.

Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 535, followed by India’s Delhi at 199 and Egypt’s Cairo at 186.

An AQI score of 151–200 is classified as “unhealthy”, while 201–300 is considered “very unhealthy” and 301–400 “hazardous”, indicating serious health risks.

The AQI is used to report daily air quality, helping people understand how clean or polluted the air is and what health effects they may face.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and ozone.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution. Its air quality typically deteriorates during the winter months and improves during the monsoon season.