Dhaka continued to grapple with unhealthy air quality on Friday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 174 at 10:50 AM.

This placed the Bangladeshi capital sixth among cities with the worst air pollution globally.

According to the AQI classification, a score between 151 and 200 is considered "unhealthy," meaning the air poses significant health risks to general population, particularly for people with respiratory conditions.

Dhaka’s air has remained in this category for several consecutive days, with AQI levels consistently exceeding 150.

In the latest global rankings, Lahore topped the list with an AQI of 304, followed by Delhi and Kolkata with scores of 215 and 200 respectively.

The AQI is a standard index used worldwide to report daily air quality, indicating how polluted the air is and what health effects may be of concern.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on the levels of five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO?), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO?), and ozone (O?).

Air pollution in Dhaka typically worsens during the dry winter months due to increased dust, emissions and stagnant weather conditions, while the monsoon season generally brings some improvement thanks to frequent rainfall.

World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution is responsible for around seven million deaths worldwide each year.

Most fatalities result from diseases such as stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.