To combat noise pollution, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has declared a “silent zone” around Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, extending 1.5 kilometers. This initiative began on October 1, and violators who honk in this area will face fines and potential imprisonment.
The interim government is also working towards making the entire city of Dhaka horn-free, starting with critical areas and gradually extending this effort to the whole city and eventually to divisional towns.
In an exclusive interview with UNB, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Advisor on Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, shared details about the government’s plan. She stated, “From December to early next year, we will implement a program to turn the entire city of Dhaka into a silent area, starting with important locations.”
To support this goal, measures are already underway. Rizwana emphasized the need to change the long-standing habit of honking. “Awareness must be created among people before enforcing the law,” she noted. Starting in December, fines will be imposed for honking, with the first offense resulting in a fine of 500 BDT, and subsequent violations incurring higher penalties.
“Before enforcing the fines, we will raise awareness among all drivers and the general public. Since honking has been a long-standing habit, we need to ensure people understand the importance of this change,” she added.
Rizwana also highlighted the rising issue of unnecessary honking, sound boxes, and loudspeakers, which disrupt normal life. “To sustain our socio-economic development, now is the time to build resistance against noise pollution along with other types of pollution,” she asserted.
She emphasized the urgency of creating awareness among the public regarding honking and noise pollution. “If we can make every driver pledge to stop this old habit, we can quickly reduce noise pollution,” she said, calling on everyone to encourage drivers to refrain from honking.
Additionally, a ban on honking will be a condition for license renewal, as she warned that the constant noise from vehicle horns is damaging people’s hearing. “Noise pollution is a significant threat to public health, leading to heart disease, high blood pressure, and neurological disorders,” she explained.
Rizwana urged the need to eliminate noise pollution to protect people from becoming deaf. She mentioned that integrated and collaborative projects will play a crucial role in raising public awareness about noise pollution.
“Besides honking, there are various sources of noise pollution in Dhaka, including loudspeakers and construction activities. We must address all types of noise to ensure a safer future. Living in a ‘low-noise’ environment is essential,” she remarked.
She further stated, “Many drivers honk to annoy those nearby. If we refrain from unnecessary honking in buses, trucks, and cars, we can prevent significant health issues for many.”
Rizwana pointed out that the practice of honking at traffic signals is unnecessary and should be reconsidered. “Drivers need to think before honking—Is it really necessary? We must raise awareness among all drivers, especially concerning the noise caused when taking children to school by rickshaw, which can sometimes lead to hearing problems.”
She concluded by noting that Islam teaches speaking softly and without causing annoyance. “We believe that the louder we speak, the stronger we are, but true strength lies in speaking reasonably. Change at a personal level can lead to broader societal and national changes.”
