This morning, Dhaka ranked second on the global list of cities with the worst air quality. At 9:00 am, Dhaka's air quality index (AQI) score was 173, placing it in the 'unhealthy' zone, according to the air quality index.

India’s Delhi topped the list with an AQI score of 255, followed by Indonesia's Jakarta with 167, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kinshasa with 163.

The AQI scale categorizes air quality as follows:
- 101 to 200: Unhealthy
- 201 to 300: Poor
- 301 to 400: Hazardous, posing serious health risks

In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined based on five pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, which typically worsens in winter and improves during the monsoon season. Air pollution is a significant risk factor for death and disability worldwide, contributing to heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections, and cancer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution kills approximately seven million people globally each year.