Dhaka ranked ninth among cities with the worst air quality this morning (May 18, 2025), recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 122 at 9:50 am, according to air quality monitoring data.
An AQI score of 122 categorizes the capital's air as "unhealthy for sensitive groups," indicating potential health risks for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory or heart conditions.
The AQI scale classifies air quality as follows: 0–50 is considered ‘good’, 51–100 ‘moderate’, 101–150 ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 151–200 ‘unhealthy’, 201–300 ‘very unhealthy’, and above 300 is deemed ‘hazardous’, posing serious health threats to the general population.
Topping today’s list of most polluted cities were Doha (Qatar) with an AQI of 231, Manama (Bahrain) at 219, and Chengdu (China) at 191.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ground-level ozone (O3).
Dhaka has been battling persistent air pollution issues for years, with air quality typically deteriorating during the winter months due to dry weather and increased emissions, and improving during the monsoon season.
Globally, air pollution remains a major public health challenge. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it causes around seven million deaths annually, primarily due to conditions such as stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.
SR
