There has been no rainfall for the past two days and Dhaka’s air quality bears clear evidence of that. As of Thursday morning, Dhaka ranked 8th among 126 cities worldwide in terms of air pollution.
According to IQAir, Dhaka’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) at around 8:30 am was 177. The AQI was 112 at roughly the same time on Wednesday. This level of air quality is considered unhealthy for humans.
However, one divisional city in the country recorded an even worse air quality than Dhaka today, Thursday, which is Khulna. The AQI there was measured at 229, which falls under the category of “very unhealthy.”
This information has been reported by IQAir, a Switzerland-based organisation that regularly monitors and publishes global air quality data. The live, real-time index it produces provides information and warnings about how clean or polluted the air is in a particular city.
At the top of today, Thursday’s global pollution ranking is Delhi, India, with an AQI of 605, followed by Kolkata, West Bengal, with a score of 244.
Air quality across various parts of Bangladesh, including the Dhaka city, has been deteriorating day by day. On certain days, some cities even surpass Dhaka in terms of pollution levels.
Air quality in divisional cities
As noted earlier, Khulna recorded the poorest air quality today, Thursday. The next most polluted city is Rajshahi, which once earned international recognition in 2016 for reducing fine particulate matter and had been among the cleanest cities.
This morning, however, Rajshahi’s AQI stood at 167. In the northern division of Rangpur, the AQI was 161, followed by Barishal at 158, Mymensingh at 134 and Chattogram at 99. The best air quality today was recorded in Sylhet, with an AQI score of 44.
Precautionary measures against air pollution
Given the current air quality in Dhaka city, anyone going outdoors should wear a mask. Outdoor physical exercise should be avoided and windows should be kept closed.
Health impacts of air pollution
Air pollution has become the most significant external threat to life expectancy in Bangladesh.
According to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 annual update by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), air pollution is reducing the average life expectancy of Bangladeshis by approximately five and a half years.
The report also identifies Bangladesh as the most polluted country in the world.