Is the air quality good in Dhaka?
As of June 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM (local time, GMT+6), Dhaka, Bangladesh, is experiencing poor air quality, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeding 180. Air conditions fall within the unhealthy range, driven primarily by elevated PM2.5 concentrations.
For a complete, real-time view of current pollution levels, see Dhaka's air quality map.
While air quality today is poor, long-term data highlight the scale of the challenge. In 2025, Dhaka’s average PM2.5 concentration was 68 µg/m³, corresponding to an AQI of 157, classified as unhealthy, and measuring 13.6 times the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
That year, Dhaka ranked as the 32nd most polluted city globally, while Bangladesh was identified as the second most polluted country in the world, underscoring the country’s ongoing air quality crisis.
Dhaka, Bangladesh, ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of June 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM (local time). Source: IQAir.
Air quality map of Dhaka, Bangladesh, as of June 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM (local time). Source: IQAir.
When will the air quality improve in Dhaka?
Air quality is expected to improve over the next few hours as forecast rainfall helps bring conditions into the moderate range by evening.
However, such pollution episodes are likely to recur, with more sustained improvement expected later this month as the arrival of the monsoon brings increased rainfall and stronger winds that help clear the atmosphere.
Hourly air quality forecast for Dhaka, Bangladesh, as of June 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM (local time). Source: IQAir.
What is causing poor air quality in Dhaka?
Almost 85% of Dhaka's air pollution comes from just three sources: brick kilns, surface dust and sand, and vehicle emissions, with approximately 2,000 traditional brick kilns in and around Dhaka and 5,200 more spread across the country burning coal to supply Bangladesh's construction industry (1).
About 90% of PM2.5 mass in Dhaka comes from anthropogenic sources including soil dust, motor vehicle exhaust, brick kiln operations, diesel-powered generators, and biomass burning, with a large and growing fleet of motorcycles and buses using inferior-quality fuels generating uncontrolled emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide (2).
Industrial emissions, transportation, and fossil fuel combustion together release an estimated 19,000 tons of PM2.5 into Dhaka's air annually, with industries alone contributing 17,556 tons per year (3).
How can I protect myself from poor air quality?
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.
