According to IQAir standards, Dhaka's air pollution has hit record levels, showing no signs of improvement

Dhaka’s Air Pollution Reaches Record Highs Amid Dry Season

Air pollution in Dhaka worsens every year during the dry season, but this year’s levels have reached unprecedented highs. The dry season, spanning from November to March, has seen alarming air quality deterioration, with pollution levels breaking records.

The decline in air quality began in November, marking the highest pollution levels recorded in the past eight years. December followed the same pattern, setting another record for the period. In January, pollution not only remained severe but surpassed all previous records for this time of year.

The Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) analyzed Air Quality Index (AQI) data from the past nine years (2017–2025) collected from the US Embassy in Dhaka. Their research, presented on Thursday, revealed that Dhaka ranked among the world's five most polluted cities almost daily in January. Despite this extreme pollution, no effective measures have been implemented to control its sources.

The Department of Environment acknowledges that reducing pollution is a long-term challenge, with little progress seen so far.

Hazardous Air Pollution in January

An AQI reading above 300 is classified as ‘hazardous,’ indicating extremely severe pollution. On January 22, Dhaka’s AQI reached 518 in the morning and surged to 622 later in the day. Environmental experts noted that pollution levels of this magnitude had not been observed in recent years. Throughout January, residents of the capital did not experience a single day of clean air.

According to CAPS’ analysis, air pollution in January 2025 was 24.52% higher than the average for the same month over the past eight years. The average AQI for January from 2017 to 2024 was 255.48, but in January 2025, it rose to 318. In January 2024, the AQI stood at 302.

Pollution levels also increased significantly in previous months—by 10.37% in November 2024 and 30.54% in December 2024—compared to the same months in previous years.

No Relief in Sight

CAPS Chairman Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder stated, “Dhaka’s air quality continues to decline, and this year’s dry season has set new pollution records. November, December, and January each recorded the highest pollution levels in the past eight years. There are no signs of improvement for city residents.”

Air quality readings classify values between 0 and 50 as ‘good,’ 51–100 as ‘acceptable,’ 101–150 as ‘harmful to sensitive groups,’ 151–200 as ‘unhealthy,’ 201–300 as ‘very unhealthy,’ and anything above 300 as ‘hazardous.’

In January, 16 out of 31 days recorded ‘very unhealthy’ air, while the remaining 15 days had either ‘very unhealthy’ or ‘hazardous’ conditions.

Md Ziaul Haque, Director of the Environment Department (Air Quality Management), noted, “Pollution control is a long process. Some initiatives have been taken, but we need time to see their impact.”