The city has witnessed light rain that washed away dust from tree leaves and streets since early Friday. The rain has also come as a welcome to city people battling polluted air conditions since the departure of the monsoon.
After the rain, a mild chilly wind started blowing through the city and the city people on Friday heaved a sigh of relief from serious air pollution.
Urban trees and plants are now considered an eco-sustaining tool used to monitor and mitigate air pollution as their leaves catch and absorb harmful particulates.
Leaves of trees, plants and flowers were badly affected due to dust. But Friday’s rain bathed the trees, their leaves and plants and cleaned the dust from them.
“Light rain since early Friday has brought blessings for us as we city people now have a breath of fresh air today. I’m amazed to experience such a touchy and beautiful weather,” Zahidur Rahman, a teacher of a college said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Meteorological Department on Friday predicted that rain or thundershowers may occur in different parts of the country today (Saturday). “Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at many places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rangpur division,” said a Met office bulletin on Friday morning.
Moderate to thick fog may occur at some places over the country from midnight to today morning.
Night temperature may fall slightly and day temperature may fall by 2 to 5 degree Celsius over the country, the bulletin said.
As soon as the monsoon departs and winter sets in, the pollution level in the city reaches its extreme level due to uncontrolled discharge of dust from construction works and road digging, posing serious health risks to the city dwellers.
The city’s major roads remained unclean with worsening dust pollution.
Dust pollution intensifies every year during winter, but the authorities concerned have no preparedness and action plans to deal with the problem.
