eng Science and Education Publishing Journal of Environment Pollution and Human Health 2334-3494 2020-06-02 8 2 55 68 10.12691/jephh-8-2-3 JEPHH2020823 article Sajal Roy sajal.roy@cu.ac.bd 1 Nasrin Chowdhury 1 Mohammad Mamun Morshed Bhuyan 2 Department of Soil Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh Department of Economics, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh The present study involves the investigation of air quality of Dhaka city, Bangladesh, before and during the periods of lockdown imposed to reduce the spread of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and comparison of data in corresponding periods of two previous years. Further, the consequences of COVID-19 in terms of economic disruptions were also studied. The accelerated and vast diffusion of COVID-19 in Dhaka has a high association with air pollution compared to the other cities of Bangladesh. Air pollution can be considered as an important determinant in the COVID-19 crisis. It was found that the mean air quality index (AQI) in Dhaka before lockdown in March in 2020 was found to be 4.82% and 5.30% lower compared to the corresponding period in 2018 and 2019, respectively. On the other hand, the average AQI during the lockdown in 2020 was found to be 9.57% and 16.74% lower respectively compared to the same period in 2018 and 2019. A significant negative correlation was found between AQI and rainfall (p<0.01) during the period of lockdown. Indeed, Dhaka city had better air quality during the lockdown but it was prognosticated that the remittance would fall by about 22% and GDP would plunge to a range between 2% and 3% in 2020 due to COVID-19. http://pubs.sciepub.com/jephh/8/2/3/jephh-8-2-3.pdf air pollution Bangladesh COVID-19 economic consequences health effects lockdown