Dhaka ranked among world's least liveable cities

Dhaka has been ranked as one of the world's least liveable cities for the second consecutive year, according to the latest Global Liveability Index published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 

In the survey covering 173 cities around the world, the Bangladeshi capital secured the 171st position, just as it did last year. 

According to the EIU's Global Liveability Index 2026, Dhaka recorded a total score of 42. Only Tripoli and Damascus ranked below it, with Tripoli in 172nd place and Damascus at the bottom in 173rd position. 

The EIU publishes this index primarily to assist human resources departments of multinational companies in determining facilities and allowances for expatriate workers. 

Five key indicators were taken into account in assessing the liveability of cities: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. The report noted that Dhaka has been consistently falling in the liveability index over the past few years. 

This year, Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has been recognised as the most liveable city in the world. The city retained the top spot for the second consecutive year with an impressive total score of 98. 

Vienna in Austria secured second place, while Melbourne in Australia took third. Vancouver in Canada is the only North American city in the top 10, ranking ninth. 

Tokyo in Japan is the only major metropolis from Asia to feature in the top 10. According to the EIU, liveability scores in large cities generally decline due to factors such as traffic congestion, population density, and crime. 

Since 2013, the war-torn Syrian capital of Damascus has maintained its position as the least liveable city in the world, with a score of 31.6. Tripoli in Libya sits just above it in 172nd place. 

Dhaka follows in 171st position with a score of 41.7, while Karachi in Pakistan is ranked 170th. 

Recent wars and political unrest have affected the rankings of several cities in the Middle East. Muscat, the capital of Oman, fell 14 places to 123rd following an Iranian drone strike. Similarly, Doha in Qatar, Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates have also dropped several places. 

The report observed that the overall ranking of Asian cities has improved this year. The average score for Asia increased by 0.3 points, thanks in particular to significant progress in various cities in China and Japan. 

The average score of 58 Asian cities now stands at 73.9, which is higher than the average for Eastern Europe. However, the consistently low scores of the least developed cities such as Dhaka have dragged down the overall Asian average. 

Chinese cities have made notable improvements in the healthcare sector due to government investment, with the country implementing a plan to ensure every citizen can access medical services within a 15-minute walk. 

Nevertheless, the report pointed out that the overall liveability ranking of Chinese cities has not improved at the expected rate because of strict surveillance systems, environmental problems, and democratic deficits. 

The top five cities on the list are Copenhagen, Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney, and Zurich, reflecting the dominance of European cities alongside the consistently strong performance of Australian cities. 

Copenhagen scored 100 out of 100 in stability, education, and infrastructure, and also performed strongly in culture and environment. 

The cities at the bottom of the list include Tehran, Harare, Kyiv, Port Moresby, Lagos, Algiers, Karachi, Dhaka, Tripoli, and Damascus. 

A notable aspect of the report is that the war-torn capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, ranks a few places ahead of Dhaka in the liveability index.