Staff Reporter

Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, has ranked fifth among the world's cities with the worst air quality. At 7:40 am on Sunday (November 8), Dhaka recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 179, falling in the 'unhealthy' category. Lahore in Pakistan topped the list with a score of 291 at the same time.

The findings were published by IQAir, a Switzerland-based air quality monitoring organisation.

According to the ranking, Kolkata in India ranked second with an AQI score of 203, while the Indian capital New Delhi placed third with a score of 197. Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked fourth with a score of 189. Birmingham in the United Kingdom ranked sixth with a score of 178.

According to IQAir, an AQI score between zero and 50 indicates good air quality. A score of 51 to 100 is considered moderate or acceptable, while readings between 101 and 150 are classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

An AQI score between 151 and 200 is considered unhealthy, while 201 to 300 indicates very unhealthy air quality. A reading above 300 falls into the hazardous category.

Based on these AQI readings, Dhaka's air quality is currently at a level that poses health risks not only to sensitive groups but also to the general population.