Dhaka has once again ranked as the most polluted city in the world, recording "hazardous" air quality on Thursday morning, according to Switzerland-based air quality monitoring organisation IQAir.
The capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 304 at 9:22am, placing it above every other major city tracked globally. The PM2.5 concentration in Dhaka's air was measured at 44.2 times higher than the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual guideline.
India's Delhi and Kolkata placed second and third on the list with AQI scores of 285 and 236 respectively, while Pakistan's Lahore also remained among the most polluted cities.
An AQI reading between 301 and 400 is classified as "hazardous", posing serious health risks. Such levels can trigger respiratory distress even among healthy individuals and are especially dangerous for children, the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
A recent report by Zero Carbon Analytics (ZCA), titled "Structural Dependencies Perpetuate Disproportionate Childhood Health Burden from Air Pollution," highlights the severity of Bangladesh's pollution crisis. It states that more than 19,000 Bangladeshi children under five died in 2021 due to air pollution-averaging nearly two deaths every hour. Globally, air pollution is now the second leading cause of death among children under five, after malnutrition.
Despite occasional seasonal improvement during the monsoon, Dhaka's air quality consistently deteriorates in winter. Rapid urbanisation, unchecked construction, traffic congestion, and vehicle emissions remain major contributors to the crisis.
The Department of Environment has urged residents to wear face masks when going outdoors, warning that the city's air has reached "very unhealthy" levels over the past few days. According to WHO estimates, air pollution causes nearly seven million deaths worldwide each year, through illnesses such as stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory infections.
Environmental studies, including a 2024 review by GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, warn that Dhaka's PM2.5 levels continue to exceed national and international safety limits, calling for stricter emission standards, cleaner transport, expanded green spaces and stronger enforcement of urban regulations.
The report stresses that while Bangladesh has taken steps to curb emissions, "immediate and sustained action" is essential to safeguard public health and move towards a sustainable urban future.
