Bangladesh’s air pollution crisis has deepened, with new data showing that Rajshahi and Khulna now surpass Dhaka—one of the world’s most polluted capitals—in air pollution levels.
The findings, released by IQAir, a Switzerland-based global air quality monitoring organisation, reveal a worrying trend of toxic air spreading beyond the capital to regional cities, threatening public health and economic productivity nationwide.
At 8:15am on Thursday, Dhaka recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 155, ranking seventh among 127 cities worldwide and falling in the “unhealthy” category. Rajshahi and Khulna, however, fared even worse, with AQI readings of 165 and 159 respectively.
Speaking on the worsening air quality, Prof Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, chairman of the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), said the problem now affects the entire country.
“This is not just a Dhaka issue. Chittagong, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Sylhet are all suffering,” he said.
“Air pollution and illness are caused daily by smoke from brick kilns, car exhausts, industrial waste and unplanned urban growth,” he added.
He warned that outdoor workers, children, and the elderly face the greatest risks. “We must promote cleaner public transport, upgrade brick kilns, and swiftly enforce the Clean Air Act. If we fail to act now, this invisible threat will continue to harm our economy, health and future.”
Globally, Baghdad recorded the worst air quality on Thursday with an AQI of 342, followed by Lahore, Delhi and Kuwait City.
City-by-city breakdown
IQAir data show air quality deteriorating across Bangladesh’s major cities:
Rajshahi: AQI 165
Khulna: AQI 159
Dhaka: AQI 155
Rangpur: AQI 136
Mymensingh: AQI 108
Barishal: AQI 106
Sylhet: AQI 81
Chattogram: AQI 74
Experts link these numbers to vehicular emissions, construction dust, brick kilns and industrial smoke, compounded by low rainfall that traps fine particles in the air.
Dhaka’s most polluted areas
Within the capital, five neighbourhoods recorded particularly poor air quality this week:
Pallabi, Mirpur – AQI 193
Kalyanpur – AQI 185
Eastern Housing, Mirpur – AQI 178
Becharam Dewri, Old Dhaka – AQI 172
Bay’s Edgewater area – AQI 160
These hotspots suffer from traffic congestion, unregulated construction, and nearby brick kilns, raising concentrations of PM2.5—the fine particulate matter most harmful to human health.
Public health at risk
Air with an AQI between 151 and 200 is classified as “unhealthy” by the World Health Organization. Prolonged exposure can cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and worsen asthma and other chronic conditions.
IQAir recommends residents wear high-filtration masks outdoors, keep windows closed, avoid outdoor exercise during peak hours, and use air purifiers indoors.
Health specialists warn that children, the elderly and low-income residents—especially those living near roads—face the highest exposure risks.
A hidden threat to life expectancy
According to the 2025 Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), air pollution shortens the average Bangladeshi’s life expectancy by 5.5 years—the highest reduction rate globally.
The World Bank’s Bangladesh Country Environmental Analysis (2024) estimated that pollution caused over 272,000 premature deaths in 2019, with more than half directly linked to dirty air. Economic losses that year equalled 17.6% of GDP.
Globally, researchers at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) found that air pollution contributed to 135 million premature deaths between 1980 and 2020.
Weak enforcement beyond Dhaka
Bangladesh has taken several measures to fight air pollution, including the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment (CASE) Project, stricter vehicle emission standards and modernisation of brick kilns. However, experts say enforcement remains weak, particularly outside Dhaka.
Environmentalists urge the government to strengthen regional monitoring stations, enforce emission standards, promote clean energy technologies, and integrate air quality management into urban planning.
“The data from Rajshahi and Khulna show that pollution control cannot be Dhaka-centric,” Dr Majumder said, adding: “Bangladesh needs a national clean air framework that treats air quality as a public health emergency, not an environmental afterthought.”
A national emergency in the making
Bangladesh remains one of the most polluted countries on Earth, IQAir data show. As toxic air spreads from the capital to regional cities, scientists warn the nation faces a slow-moving public health catastrophe.
Without urgent action, they caution, rapid urbanisation, weak regulation and industrial expansion could erode decades of economic progress—turning Bangladesh’s air pollution crisis into one of its gravest national emergencies.
