Air pollution continues to rise across major cities worldwide due to climate change and urban expansion. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh and one of the world's megacities, has long struggled with poor air quality. For several consecutive days, it has ranked among the top polluted cities globally. However, recent rainfall has brought some improvement to the city's air quality.

According to the international air quality monitoring organization IQAir, as of 9:30 AM on Thursday, July 17, Dhaka recorded an AQI (Air Quality Index) score of 87 — considered a "moderate" level of pollution — placing it 21st among the world’s most polluted cities.

At the same time, Cairo, Egypt, topped the list with a hazardous AQI score of 231. It was followed by Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (174), Dubai in the UAE (165), Santiago in Chile (160), and Lahore, Pakistan, with a score of 147.

AQI scores between 0–50 are regarded as “good,” while 51–100 are “moderate.” Scores between 101–150 are “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” 151–200 indicate “unhealthy” air, 201–300 is classified as “very unhealthy,” and anything above 300 is deemed “hazardous,” posing severe health risks for all urban residents — especially children, the elderly, and those with medical conditions.