Despite heavy rainfall on Wednesday evening, Dhaka ranked as the world’s most polluted city again on Thursday morning, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 177, categorized as “unhealthy.” Jakarta followed in second place with an AQI of 159.
Air quality expert Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumder blamed ongoing construction work, exposed building materials, and poorly maintained roads for the persistent pollution. He said rain only temporarily reduces dust before it quickly spreads again. Faulty vehicles also continue to worsen air quality.
According to the Switzerland-based air monitoring organization IQAir
, Dhaka’s pollution levels remain dangerously high despite repeated warnings from experts and numerous anti-pollution projects.
The report shows Bangladesh had an average PM2.5 concentration of 54.17 micrograms per cubic metre — more than 10 times higher than the World Health Organization guideline of 5 μg/m3. Researchers estimate this level of pollution could reduce average life expectancy in the country by nearly 4.8 years.
India ranked second with PM2.5 levels of 41.39 μg/m3, followed by Nepal, Qatar, and Pakistan.
Health experts warn that air pollution remains one of the world’s deadliest environmental threats, contributing to millions of premature deaths globally every year.
