Air pollution continues to rise in cities around the world due to climate change and rapid urbanization, and Dhaka—Bangladesh’s megacity—has long been among the most affected. For quite some time, the capital has frequently ranked among the top polluted cities globally. However, in recent days, Dhaka's air quality has shown slight improvement.

As of 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, data from international air quality monitoring platform IQAir shows that Dhaka recorded an AQI (Air Quality Index) score of 60, placing it 39th among the world’s most polluted cities—a level considered “moderate.”

In contrast, Kampala, the capital of Uganda, topped the list with a score of 165, followed by Indonesia’s Jakarta (158), Medan (156), Pakistan’s Lahore (155), and Batam, also in Indonesia, with a score of 146.

AQI scores are categorized as follows: 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 moderate, and 101–150 unhealthy for sensitive groups. A score of 151–200 is labeled unhealthy, 201–300 very unhealthy, and 301–400 is classified as hazardous, posing serious health risks.