Dhaka ranked eighth among cities with the worst air quality on Friday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 129 at 10:50am.

According to the AQI, the air was classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” posing health risks to children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues. 

An AQI between 101 and 150 falls under this category.

Delhi topped the list with a hazardous AQI of 204, followed by Shanghai (170) and Santiago (161).

The AQI measures five pollutants — PM10, PM2.5, NO₂, CO, SO₂, and ozone — and Dhaka’s air quality often worsens in winter but improves during the monsoon.

The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes around seven million deaths globally each year.

MN/