Dhaka ranked fifth among cities with the worst air quality, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 179 at 8:23am on Sunday (April 13).

The air in the capital was classified as “unhealthy” based on the AQI level.

According to the index, an AQI score between 101 and 150 indicates air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups, while a score between 151 and 200 is considered unhealthy for all. Readings from 201 to 300 are labelled very unhealthy, and anything above 300 is deemed hazardous.

At the same time, Chinese cities Guangzhou, Chongqing and Shenzhen were the top three most polluted, with AQI scores of 296, 195 and 187 respectively.

Bangladesh's AQI is measured considering five main pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and ozone.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes around seven million premature deaths globally each year, mainly from stroke, heart and lung diseases, and respiratory infections.

BDST: 1025 HRS, April 13, 2025
MSK