Dhaka’s Air Becomes ‘Good’ This Morning After Heavy Rainfall

This morning, heavy rainfall in Dhaka significantly improved the city’s air quality, bringing the Air Quality Index (AQI) to a ‘good’ level of 42 at 9:25 am, placing it 61st among cities with the worst air pollution. The AQI, which tracks pollutants like PM10, PM2.5, NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone, considers air ‘good’ when it poses minimal health risks, with higher values indicating moderate to hazardous pollution. Typically, Dhaka’s air quality worsens in winter but improves during the monsoon. By comparison, cities such as Lahore, Kolkata, and Jakarta recorded much higher AQI levels, reflecting poorer air conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that air pollution causes around seven million deaths worldwide each year, including from stroke, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses.