Dhaka Starts the Morning Wrapped in Toxic Air
- Update Time : 04:48:32 am, Tuesday, 22 April 2025
- / 303 Time View
Air pollution continues to worsen in cities around the world due to climate change and other contributing factors. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, remains one of the worst-affected megacities, consistently ranking high on global pollution charts. On Tuesday, April 22, Dhaka recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 112—classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups—placing it 14th on the list of the world’s most polluted cities, according to IQAir.
At the same time, New Delhi topped the list with a hazardous AQI of 210. Cairo and Lahore followed with scores of 172 each, Shanghai stood at 162, and Kathmandu rounded out the top five with a score of 161.
The AQI categorizes air quality on a scale where 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 is moderate, and 101–150 is unhealthy for sensitive groups. Scores between 151–200 are categorized as unhealthy for all, while 201–300 is marked very unhealthy, requiring children, elderly, and the sick to remain indoors. Scores above 300 fall under the “hazardous” category, posing serious health risks for all residents.
Dhaka’s recurring appearance among the most polluted cities highlights an ongoing public health crisis, driven by unregulated emissions, urban congestion, and insufficient environmental controls.
