Dhaka, the overcrowded capital of Bangladesh, ranked fifth on the list of cities with the worst air quality, recording an AQI score of 174 at 9:25 am on March 28, 2025. The air was classified as ‘unhealthy,’ indicating a significant health risk for residents, according to the AQI index.
The AQI scale measures air quality based on particle pollution. An AQI value between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate,’ with sensitive individuals advised to limit prolonged outdoor activities. Values between 101 and 150 are categorized as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ while readings between 150 and 200 are deemed ‘unhealthy.’ An AQI between 201 and 300 is classified as ‘very unhealthy,’ and anything above 301 is considered ‘hazardous,’ posing severe health risks.
Nepal’s Kathmandu, Iraq’s Baghdad, and Egypt’s Cairo topped the list, with AQI scores of 217, 210, and 202, respectively.
The AQI index reports daily air quality, helping people understand how clean or polluted the air is and the potential health risks associated with it. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with air quality typically worsening in the winter and improving during the monsoon. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes an estimated seven million deaths worldwide annually, largely due to stroke, heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
