Air pollution continues to rise in major cities around the world, and Dhaka—Bangladesh’s densely populated megacity—remains consistently among the top-ranked cities for poor air quality. On Sunday, May 11, Dhaka's air was again categorized as "unhealthy for sensitive groups." According to the global air quality monitoring platform IQAir, at around 10 a.m., Dhaka registered an AQI score of 129, placing it as the sixth most polluted city worldwide at that time.

Topping the list was Lahore, Pakistan, with a hazardous AQI of 179, followed by Delhi, India (170), Santiago, Chile (159), Baghdad, Iraq (134), and Kathmandu, Nepal (higher than Dhaka).

To put it into perspective: an AQI of 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 is moderate, and 101–150 is unhealthy for sensitive individuals such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. When the AQI ranges from 151 to 200, it’s deemed outright unhealthy for the general public. Scores from 201 to 300 are labeled “very unhealthy,” and values above 300 are “hazardous,” often triggering health warnings and restrictions on outdoor activity.

Dhaka’s persistent ranking near the top of this list highlights the city’s ongoing struggle with air pollution, which remains a major concern for both public health and environmental sustainability.