Bangladesh's capital Dhaka ranked 45th in the list of the world's most polluted cities today, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 64—considered to be in the 'moderate' or 'acceptable' range.

The data was revealed by Swiss-based air quality monitoring organization IQAir around 9:45 AM on Friday (June 20).

According to the same index, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia topped the list as the most polluted city today with an AQI score of 255. It was followed by Manama in Bahrain (212) and Doha in Qatar (205). The air quality in these cities is categorized as “very unhealthy.”

As per IQAir standards, an AQI score between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 is ‘moderate’, and 101 to 150 is ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues. Scores between 151 and 200 are deemed ‘unhealthy’, 201 to 300 as ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 300 is categorized as ‘hazardous.’

Dhaka's air quality has shown some improvement today, falling within the tolerable range, although long-term exposure to moderate levels of pollution may still pose health risks.

MN/