Air Pollution Crisis: Dhaka's Air Quality Remains 'Unhealthy'

Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, continues to grapple with severe air pollution, registering an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 157 at 9:30 AM this morning (October 30, 2025), which classifies its air as 'unhealthy'.

The city ranked sixth globally for the worst air quality, reflecting a persistent health threat to residents.

Current AQI: 157 ('Unhealthy' – Health effects may be experienced by everyone; sensitive groups may experience more serious effects).

Global Ranking: 6th worst air quality worldwide.

Leading Polluted Cities: The top spots were held by Pakistan's Lahore (AQI 571, 'Hazardous'), India's Delhi (AQI 471, 'Hazardous'), and China's Beijing (AQI 202, 'Very Unhealthy').

Persistent Problem: Dhaka's air quality has been consistently 'unhealthy' for the past few days, a common occurrence as the city's air quality typically deteriorates during the dry winter season and only improves during the monsoon.

Health Context: The AQI, which is based on five pollutants ($\text{PM}_{10}$, $\text{PM}_{2.5}$, $\text{NO}_2$, $\text{CO}$, and $\text{SO}_2$, and Ozone), serves as a daily measure of air pollution and its associated health risks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that air pollution is responsible for seven million deaths globally each year due to illnesses like stroke, heart disease, and respiratory infections.