This morning's startling 190 on the air quality index means the air is just "unhealthy." However, millions of people in Dhaka fight to survive daily. According to the (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year.

On Sunday, January 28, 2024, at 8:45 am, Dhaka secured the seventh position globally regarding cities with highly undesirable air quality, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 190.

'Unhealthy' air was the rating given to Dhaka, Delhi, Accra, and Kampala by the air quality index. The top three places were Delhi, India, with 316; Accra, Ghana, with 267; and Kampala, Uganda, with 224.

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The air quality is categorized as "not good for people who are easily affected" if the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150. It is classified as "not good for everyone" if it is between 150 and 200. It is considered "extremely unhealthy" when the value falls between 201 and 300. Nevertheless, it is deemed "dangerous" if it exceeds 301, seriously endangering the residents' health.

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

The AQI, a scale for reporting daily air quality, tells people how pure or dirty the air of a specific city is and what related health problems they should be worried about.

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Five pollutants determine the air quality index (AQI) in Bangladesh: solid particles (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.


Dhaka has been dealing with air pollution problems for a long time. The air typically becomes poor during winter and gets better in the rainy season.

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