The air is so clean that….
The shutdown is likely to prevail as long as a cure to the pandemic isn't found, resulting in cleaner air for a prolonged time
As the city observes ironclad shutdown, the citizens on Sunday had a reason to feel better about themselves. As the shutdown continuoand human activities remain halted, Dhaka has slipped to the sixth position in the global air quality index - behind New Delhi and Shanghai.
This is a moment of pride for us and we should pat ourselves on the back for falling behind five more cities - with people breathing worse air than that of Dhaka. How's that for a change, Delhi?
The change in the air quality of Dhaka largely depends on the state of the megacity's streets. The curfew has put all the beat-up bikes, buses and reconditioned cars held up in the garage. If Elon Musk were in Dhaka right now, he would have been impressed by the few battery-powered rickshwas whooshing by.
The shutdown is likely to prevail as long as a cure to the pandemic isn't found, resulting in cleaner air for a prolonged time. But what are the major factors for the kind of change in the air? We have come up with a few reasons, which are mostly unreal.
The air in Dhaka is so clean that…
1. People can see distant galaxies with their bare eyes. But now they can also see the giant alien space crafts hovering over our planet. We could not see them before due to the dirty air engulfing the skies.
2. Paper planes are flying faster than KS Bangla chartered planes.
3. Politicians do not need the "call-ready" microphones to deliver their dramatic speeches anymore. Their voice reaches the masses without delay as the air is so pure.
4. Hero Alom does not walk anymore, he floats. That clean air ensures better air flow and the scrawny Alom always has had a hard time standing on his feet.
5. If George Michael visited Dhaka now, he would not have been able to "carelessly" whisper anymore. The city's clean air woukd have made his whisper sound like a borderline scream.
6. Thanos regrets snapping half the world's population to death. Do not say the Avengers killed him because Nobody really dies in Marvel movies.
7. Mount Everest is visible from Dhaka. People take selfies from their rooftop with the Everest in background.