Dhaka has ranked 12th among cities worldwide with the poorest air quality, recording an AQI score of 99 at 9 am this morning (June 9, 2024).

This morning, Dhaka’s air quality was classified as 'moderate' based on the air quality index (AQI).

An AQI value between 50 and 100 indicates 'moderate' air quality, while values between 101 and 150 are 'unhealthy for sensitive groups', 150 to 200 is 'unhealthy', 201 to 300 is 'very unhealthy', and a reading above 301 is considered 'hazardous', posing significant health risks.

Delhi in India, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Manama in Bahrain occupied the top three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 179, 158, and 143, respectively.

The AQI, which reports daily air quality, informs residents about how clean or polluted the air in a city is and highlights potential health effects.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is determined based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.

Dhaka has been struggling with air pollution issues for a long time. Typically, its air quality deteriorates in winter and improves during the monsoon season.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million deaths worldwide each year, primarily due to increased mortality from polluted air.