Online Report : Dhaka experienced a notable improvement in air quality this morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 53 at 9:50am on May 20, 2025.

The city ranked 55th on the list of cities with the worst air quality, with today’s air being categorized as ‘moderate’—indicating a light health risk according to the AQI scale.

An AQI reading between 50 and 100 is classified as moderate, generally posing minimal risk but suggesting that sensitive individuals may want to limit prolonged outdoor exertion. AQI values between 101 and 150 are considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ while 151 to 200 is labeled ‘unhealthy,’ 201 to 300 is ‘very unhealthy,’ and any reading above 301 is deemed ‘hazardous,’ carrying serious health threats.

On the global list today, Baghdad in Iraq topped the chart with an AQI of 229, followed by Lahore in Pakistan with 186, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates with a score of 164.

The AQI is a tool for reporting daily air quality, providing the public with essential information on how polluted or clean the air is, along with potential health implications. In Bangladesh, AQI calculations are based on the levels of five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone.

Dhaka, which typically battles severe air pollution, often sees deteriorating air quality during the winter months, with some improvement during the monsoon season.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million deaths globally each year, primarily from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.