Air pollution is steadily rising in major cities across the globe, and Dhaka, one of the world's megacities, has long been struggling with severe air quality issues. For several days, the capital of Bangladesh has ranked among the top cities with the worst air pollution. However, the recent spell of rain has brought some relief, leading to a slight improvement in Dhaka's air quality.

Despite the rainfall, Dhaka’s air remained in the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category on Tuesday morning (May 13). At around 9:38 AM, data from the global air quality monitoring platform IQAir ranked Dhaka as the fifth most polluted city in the world with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 162.

At the same time, Baghdad, Iraq, topped the list with a score of 203, followed by Lahore, Pakistan (196), Cairo, Egypt (195), and Kampala, Uganda (163). Dhaka’s AQI was just below Kampala's, placing it in the fifth spot globally.

According to AQI standards, a score between 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 is moderate, and 101–150 is unhealthy for sensitive individuals. Scores between 151–200 are labeled as “unhealthy,” while 201–300 indicate “very unhealthy” air quality. During such conditions, children, the elderly, and people with health conditions are advised to stay indoors, and outdoor activities are discouraged for all. An AQI above 300 is considered “hazardous,” posing serious health risks for the entire population.