At 9 am today (April 28, 2024), Dhaka secured the sixth position on the global list of cities with the worst air quality, registering an AQI score of 145. Classified as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', Dhaka's air quality index reflects concerning pollution levels.

Leading the list, Nepal's Kathmandu, Thailand's Chiang Mai, and China's Chengdu claimed the top spots with AQI scores of 177, 170, and 169 respectively.

The AQI categorizes air quality levels, designating values between 50 and 100 as 'moderate', 101 to 150 as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', 151 to 200 as 'unhealthy', 201 to 300 as 'very unhealthy', and readings of 301 or above as 'hazardous', posing severe health risks.

In Bangladesh, the AQI assesses five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka consistently grapples with air pollution, typically worsening in winter and improving during the monsoon season.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution contributes to an estimated seven million deaths worldwide annually, primarily attributed to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.