Dhaka ranked 36th among the world’s most polluted cities on Wednesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 67 at 8:50 AM.

According to the AQI scale, the capital’s air quality was classified as “moderate”, indicating a slight health concern for people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Pakistan’s Lahore topped the list with an AQI score of 188, followed by India’s Delhi at 173 and Indonesia’s Jakarta at 157.

Under AQI standards, a reading between 101 and 150 is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, while scores between 151 and 200 are labelled “unhealthy”. AQI levels ranging from 201 to 300 are categorised as “very unhealthy” and readings above 301 are considered “hazardous”.

The AQI provides daily information on air quality and its possible impact on public health.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants �" particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, with conditions generally worsening during winter and improving in the monsoon season.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year, mainly due to stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.