Dhaka Among World’s 11 Most Polluted Cities on Tuesday

Dhaka ranked 11th among the world’s most polluted cities on Tuesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 144 at 9:30am.

The reading falls within the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, meaning people who are particularly vulnerable to air pollution may experience adverse health effects, while the general public is less likely to be affected.

Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 265, followed by India’s Delhi at 224 and Iraq’s Baghdad at 183.

An AQI reading of 101–150 is classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, while scores of 151–200 are considered “unhealthy”. Readings of 201–300 are classified as “very unhealthy”, and scores above 300 are deemed “hazardous”, indicating serious health risks.

The AQI tracks daily air quality, indicating the level of air pollution and its potential effects on public health.

In Bangladesh, air quality is assessed using five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and ozone.

According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is associated with an estimated seven million deaths worldwide each year. Major health effects include stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.