Dhaka ranks 4th in global list of cities with worst air quality

Air pollution in Dhaka City on Sunday 8 November 2026 morning.

Dhaka, Nov 08 - Dhaka ranked fourth among cities with the worst air quality in the world on Sunday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 182 at 8:34am.

The city's air quality was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the global air quality and pollution ranking.

Pakistan's Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 291, followed by India's Delhi with 222 and India's Kolkata with 216.

An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy' and 301-400 is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents.

The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.

The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.

Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. - UNB