Dhaka ranked 15th among cities with the worst air quality this morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 124 at 9:20am on Wednesday (November 5, 2025).

According to the AQI classification, the capital’s air was deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” signaling potential health risks for people with respiratory or heart conditions, children, and the elderly. The city’s air had remained in the “moderate” category over the past few days but has now deteriorated.

An AQI reading between 101 and 150 falls under the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, while 150–200 is considered “unhealthy,” 201–300 “very unhealthy,” and above 300 “hazardous.”

Kolkata, Dubai, and Delhi topped the global list of most polluted cities today, with AQI scores of 267, 209, and 207 respectively.

The AQI measures the concentration of key air pollutants, including particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO?), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO?), and ozone (O?).

Dhaka has long struggled with severe air pollution, particularly during the dry winter months, with conditions typically improving during the monsoon.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution causes an estimated seven million premature deaths globally each year, mainly due to heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and respiratory infections.