The city of Dhaka's air quality has been classified as "unhealthy," putting the lives of its citizens at serious risk, as the metropolis continues to swelter under an ongoing heat wave.

Dhaka is ranked sixth out of all cities in the world with the worst air quality, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 153 at 9:09 a.m. this morning. With significantly higher AQI scores of 256, 210, and 201, respectively, cities like Chiang Mai, Thailand, Delhi, India, and Lahore, Pakistan, topped the list.

The AQI value of 153 falls within the 'unhealthy' range, where air quality is deemed unsafe for sensitive groups. This index is based on five criteria pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.

In Dhaka, air pollution remains a persistent issue, typically worsening during winter and improving with the onset of monsoon. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution claims around seven million lives globally each year due to increased mortality from various health conditions like stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections.