Dhaka's Air 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,' Ranks 10th Globally

Dhaka’s air quality remained unhealthy for sensitive groups on Tuesday, according to the latest data from air quality monitoring platform IQAir.

At 10:10 am on June 16, Dhaka recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 123, placing it 10th among the world’s most polluted cities. An AQI score between 101 and 150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and people with respiratory conditions.

India’s capital, New Delhi, topped the list with an AQI score of 167, followed closely by Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at 166.

Indonesia’s capital Jakarta ranked third with a score of 153, while Medan, another Indonesian city, placed fourth with a score of 142. Uganda’s capital Kampala shared the same score of 142 and ranked fifth.

Swiss-based IQAir provides real-time air quality data and pollution rankings for cities around the world.

According to IQAir’s AQI scale, a score between 0 and 50 is considered good, while 51 to 100 is moderate. Scores between 101 and 150 are unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 to 200 are unhealthy, 201 to 300 are very unhealthy, and anything above 301 is classified as hazardous.