Dhaka Beats Major Cities in Clean Air Today
Today, Dhaka – a city often known for its air pollution – has surprised everyone. On Thursday morning, Dhaka’s air was cleaner than cities like Lisbon (Portugal), Tokyo (Japan), Montreal (Canada), Helsinki (Finland), Rome (Italy), Salt Lake City and Los Angeles (USA), and Rotterdam (Netherlands).
According to the live air quality data, Dhaka’s Air Quality Index (AQI) score at 11:00 AM was just 39. This score means the air in Dhaka is “Good”, which is rare for one of the world’s most polluted cities.
Why Dhaka’s Air Improved
The main reason for this clean air is the continuous rain over the past few days. This rain has washed away much of the pollution from the air. Today’s early morning rain also helped to make the air even cleaner.
Usually, during the rainy season, the air becomes cleaner because rainwater removes dust and harmful particles from the atmosphere. That is exactly what has happened in Dhaka.
Read more: Japan to Hire 100,000 Bangladeshi Workers in 5 Years A Golden Opportunity for Overseas Employment
Who Measures AQI and What Does It Mean?
A system that indicates how clean or filthy a city’s air is is called the Air Quality Index (AQI). The air quality improves with a lower AQI score.
This index is published by IQAir, a Swiss-based organization that provides live data on air quality around the world.
AQI Scores of Other Major Cities This Morning
Here are the AQI scores of some other well-known cities at the same time Dhaka scored 39:
- Lisbon, Portugal – 50
- Tokyo, Japan – 50
- Montreal, Canada – 49
- Helsinki, Finland – 47
- Rome, Italy – 47
- Salt Lake City, USA – 47
- Rotterdam, Netherlands – 46
- Los Angeles, USA – 43
This means Dhaka’s air is cleaner than all these cities today, which is a very unusual situation.
Most Polluted Cities Today
While Dhaka enjoyed clean air, some cities are still suffering from high pollution levels. The most polluted city in the world today is Kuwait City in Kuwait, with an AQI score of 202.
Other highly polluted cities this morning are:
- Cairo, Egypt – 164
- Lahore, Pakistan – 159
- Delhi, India – 154
These AQI scores fall in the “Very Unhealthy” range, which can be harmful for all people, especially those with health conditions.
World’s Cleanest Cities Today
On the other hand, some cities had extremely clean air. Here are the cities with the best air today:
- Krasnoyarsk, Russia – AQI: 3
- Bogotá, Colombia – AQI: 8
- Sydney, Australia – AQI: 13
These cities had very low AQI scores, which means their air is almost free of pollution.
How AQI Scores Work (As Per IQAir)
IQAir uses a scale to categorize air quality:
- 0 to 50 – Good (Air is clean and safe for everyone)
- 51 to 100 – Moderate (Air is okay, but sensitive people should be careful)
- 101 to 150 – Unhealthy for sensitive groups (e.g., children, elderly, people with breathing problems)
- 151 to 200 – Unhealthy for all
- 201 to 300 – Very unhealthy (Dangerous for health)
- 301 and above – Hazardous (Severe pollution, can cause health emergencies)
Summary
Thanks to the rain, Dhaka’s air has become unusually clean today, even better than many well-known global cities. While this is a temporary improvement, it shows how natural factors like rainfall can have a big impact on air quality. However, long-term solutions are still needed to keep the air clean year-round.
Source: Bonik Barta
