Bangladesh's capital Dhaka ranked seventh on the list of cities with the worst air quality on Tuesday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 119 at 9:00 am.

According to the AQI ranking, Jakarta, Indonesia, topped the list with a score of 170, followed by Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 169 and Lahore, Pakistan, with 167.

An AQI score between 101 and 150 is considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," meaning children, older adults and people with respiratory or heart conditions may experience health effects from prolonged exposure.

An AQI reading between 101 and 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while 151–200 is categorised as ‘unhealthy’. Readings between 201 and 300 are regarded as ‘very unhealthy’, and levels above 301 are considered ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks to the population.

Dhaka has long struggled with air pollution, particularly during the dry winter months, although air quality often improves during the monsoon season due to rainfall.

The AQI is a daily index that measures air pollution and its potential impact on human health. It takes into account five major pollutants: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and ground-level ozone (O₃).

Experts say prolonged exposure to polluted air can cause respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases and other health complications, particularly among children, older adults and people with existing health conditions.