Dhaka Ranks Third Among World’s Most Polluted Cities This Morning

Dhaka ranked as the world’s third most polluted city on Sunday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 177 at 9:15am.

The air quality was classified as “unhealthy,” indicating that pollution levels had reached a point that could pose health risks to the general population, according to the AQI scale.

India’s capital New Delhi topped the list with an AQI of 235, followed by Kolkata at 186. Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, ranked fourth with an AQI of 174.

An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” while readings from 151 to 200 fall into the “unhealthy” category. Scores between 201 and 300 are classified as “very unhealthy,” while readings above 301 are considered “hazardous” and may pose serious health risks.

The AQI is a daily measure of air pollution that indicates how polluted the air is and the potential health effects on people.

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

The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution contributes to around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.