United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka ranked third on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 251 at 9:00 am on Tuesday morning (December 02). Dhaka’s air was classified as 'very unhealthy', according to the air quality and pollution city ranking. India's Delhi and Kolkata and Pakistan’s Lahore occupied the first, second and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 396, 269 and 200, respectively. Read more: Dhaka’s air quality 7th worst this morning An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy' and 301-400 is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. Read more: How to Reduce Air Pollution in Bangladesh?

Air pollution remains one of the biggest challenges for Bangladesh, with its capital ranked as the 4th most polluted city in the world on Monday morning (December 01, 2025). At 10:10 am, Dhaka’s Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 215. Pakistan’s Lahore  and India’s Delhi occupied the first and second  spots, with AQI scores of 338 and 288 respectively. Besides, India’s Kolkata is in 3rd position with AQI score 233, according to IQAir. An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered unhealthy, particularly for sensitive groups. Similarly, an AQI between 201 and 300 is classified as very unhealthy, while a reading between 301 and 400 is deemed hazardous, posing serious health risks to residents. Read more: Dhaka's air quality turns `unhealthy for sensitive groups’ AQI — an index for reporting daily air quality — is used by government agencies to inform people how clean or polluted the air in a particular city is, and what associated health effects may be of concern. In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants: Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO₂, CO, SO₂ and Ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution. Its air quality usually becomes unhealthy during winter and improves during the monsoon. A report by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the World Bank pointed out that the three main sources of air pollution in Dhaka “are brick kilns, fumes from vehicles, and dust from construction sites”. With the advent of winter, the city’s air quality deteriorates sharply due to the massive discharge of pollutant particles from construction work, rundown roads, brick kilns and other sources. Read more: How to Reduce Air Pollution in Bangladesh? Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka ranked third on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality, with an AQI score of 264 at 9:01 am on Saturday morning (November 29). Dhaka’s air was classified as 'very unhealthy', according to the air quality and pollution city ranking. Egypt’s Cairo, India's Delhi and Uzbekistan’s Tashkent occupied the first, second and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 286, 271 and 252, respectively. Dhaka’s air ranks world’s 2nd most polluted on Friday morning An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' while 201-300 is 'very unhealthy' and 301-400 is considered 'hazardous', posing severe health risks to residents. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. Read more: How to Reduce Air Pollution in Bangladesh?

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 16th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 144 at 9:50 am this morning (November 27, 2025). Today Dhaka’s air was classified as ‘unhealthy’ referring to an alarming threat, according to the AQI index. However the air quality was marked as ‘very unhealthy’ with an AQI score of 205 yesterday.  When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore and again India’s Kolkata cities respectively occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 493, 226, and 215 respectively. Read more: Adviser Rizwana calls for effective regional action to combat trans-boundary air pollution The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Read more: Dhaka breaths in ‘very unhealthy’ air this morning

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked fourth on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 205 at 9:50 am this morning (November 26, 2025). Today Dhaka’s air was classified as ‘very unhealthy’ referring to an alarming threat, according to the AQI index. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. ‘Unhealthy’ air apparently grips Dhaka   India’s Delhi, Kolkata and Pakistan’s Lahore cities respectively occupied the first, second and third spots on the list, with AQI scores of 254, 223, and 208 respectively. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Air pollution: 5 ways to protect yourself from poor air quality

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 4th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 207 at 9:04 am on Tuesday (November 25). Dhaka’s air was classified as ' very unhealthy', according to the air quality and pollution city ranking. India's Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Kolkata occupied the first, second and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 389, 239 and 225, respectively. Dhaka’s air quality continues to be ‘moderate’ this morning When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. Read more: Best Air Purifiers in Bangladesh: Price Guide, Top Models, and Buying Tips

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked the 7th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 184 at 9:02 am Saturday (November 22). Today’s air was classified as 'unhealthy’, according to the AQI index. India's Delhi and Kolkata and Pakistan’s Lahore and Karachi occupied the first four spots on the list, with AQI scores of 441, 216, 194 and 193, respectively. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Dhaka’s air quality continues to be ‘moderate’ this morning The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Read more: Air pollution: 5 ways to protect yourself from poor air quality

Dhaka, the overcrowded capital city of Bangladesh, has ranked 8th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 80 at 9:10 am this morning (November 18). Today Dhaka’s air was classified as ‘moderate,’ referring to a light health threat, according to the AQI index. India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Kolkata and Pakistan’s Karachi occupied the first four spots on the list, with AQI scores of 340, 194, 171 and 123, respectively. When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered ‘moderate’, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents. Read more: Dhaka’s air ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them. The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone. Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon. As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Read more: Air pollution: 5 ways to protect yourself from poor air quality

Saima Wazed Putul, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for South-East Asia, has been placed on indefinite leave, four months after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh filed two cases against her on charges of fraud, forgery and misuse of power, according to the Health Policy Watch. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the decision in a brief internal email, stating that Wazed would be on leave starting Friday (July 11). He also said WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Catharina Boehme would assume responsibility as Officer-in-Charge of the SEARO office in Wazed’s absence. Boehme is expected to arrive at the SEARO headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday (July 15). ACC files cases against Saima Wazed, Exim Bank’s ex-chairman Saima Wazed, daughter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who fled the country last August after protests, took office as Regional Director in January 2024. The charges against Saima Wazed stem from her bid to be appointed regional director. Her campaign was shadowed by claim that her influential mother used her influence to ensure her daughter’s election. According to the formal charges, she is alleged to have provided false information about her academic record during her campaign for regional director, violating Section 468 of the Bangladesh Penal Code (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and Section 471 (forging a document).   The ACC also alleged she misrepresented her qualifications by claiming an honorary role at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, which the university disputes, to secure her WHO position. Saima Wazed is also accused of having misused her power and influence to collect about $2.8 million from various banks for the Shuchona Foundation which she used to head. Saima Wazed calls for accelerating safety measures to reduce road traffic deaths The ACC case did not provide complete details on how the money was then used. Those charges include: allegations of fraud and misuse of power under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property); , as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1947. Since the charges were laid, Wazed has been unable to travel properly in the SEARO region as she faces arrest in Bangladesh, it said.

Global efforts to vaccinate children against preventable diseases have stalled since 2010, leaving millions at risk for illnesses such as tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, and measles, according to a new study published Tuesday in The Lancet. The analysis, conducted by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, reveals a significant decline in vaccination rates—particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by AP. The report warns that protection from measles dropped in 100 countries between 2010 and 2019, unraveling decades of progress. This includes setbacks in high-income countries that had previously eradicated the disease. “After clean water, vaccination is the most effective intervention for protecting the health of our children,” said Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at University College London, who was not connected to the research. She added that recent years have seen “a small but worrying rise in the number of parents skipping vaccination for their children,” citing misinformation as one of the contributing factors. In the UK, this trend has led to the largest number of measles cases since the 1990s and nearly a dozen deaths from whooping cough. The United States is also experiencing a drop in vaccination rates, with exemption levels hitting an all-time high. The global immunization initiative, launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1974, was credited with inoculating over 4 billion children and saving an estimated 154 million lives. Philippine village offers bounties for mosquitoes-dead or alive Before the pandemic, the coverage of children receiving three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-whooping cough vaccine had nearly doubled from 40% to 81%. Measles vaccination rates increased from 37% to 83%, with similar progress for polio and tuberculosis. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted these gains. An estimated 15.6 million children missed doses of both the diphtheria-tetanus-whooping cough vaccine and the measles vaccine. Approximately 16 million children missed the polio vaccine, and 9 million did not receive the TB vaccine—most notably in sub-Saharan Africa. The study was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance. Researchers also identified that over half of the world’s 15.7 million unvaccinated children in 2023 lived in just eight countries: Nigeria, India, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Indonesia, and Brazil. Experts have voiced concern that political decisions may further hamper immunization efforts. Since former President Donald Trump initiated the withdrawal of the U.S. from the WHO and began dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, public health authorities have warned of an increased risk of infectious disease outbreaks. However, the researchers cautioned that it is too early to determine the exact impact of recent funding cuts on global vaccination rates. The WHO has reported alarming increases in measles cases. In the Americas, there has been an 11-fold surge in infections this year compared to 2024. In Europe, measles cases doubled in 2024, while the disease remains prevalent in Africa and Southeast Asia. “It is in everyone's interest that this situation is rectified,” said Dr. David Elliman, a pediatrician who has advised the British government. “While vaccine-preventable infectious diseases occur anywhere in the world, we are all at risk.”