Green activists at a discussion urged the authorities concerned Wednesday to take immediate steps to put an end to growing sound pollution in the city, reports UNB.
They said though the government had announced Sound Pollution (Control) Rules 2006 to reduce sound pollution, it was hardly enforced.
The Department of Environment (DoE), city corporations, Rajuk, local government bodies and law enforcing agencies should take measures to stop sound pollution, they said.
Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), an environmental group, arranged the discussion at its city office in the city.
Chaired by former additional director of DoE Engr Abdus Sobhan, the discussion was addressed, among others, by WBB project coordinator Naznin Kabir, president of Bangladesh Peace Movement Prof Kamal Ataur Rahman, environmental activist Mahbub Haque and Poba coordinator Atiq Morshed.
The speakers said noise or sound pollution could harm people's health, causing hearing loss or mental stress and even hypertension, especially among children and elderly people.
Referring to the findings of a recent survey, they said sound levels everywhere in the capital were double the limit permitted under the rules.
A Poba survey reveals that sound level was recorded in 'silent zones' at 84-100 decibel while the sound levels in 'residential areas' at 84-93 decibel, 'mixed areas' at 88-102 decibel and 'commercial areas' at 86-103 decibel.
The recorded sound levels exceed the approved limits by 150-200 per cent. According to the rules, daytime or nighttime permissible sound levels in decibels are 50/40 (silent zones), 55/45 (residential areas), 60/50 (mixed areas), 70/60 (commercial areas) and 75/70 (industrial areas).
Green activists demand steps to curb sound pollution
FE Team | Published: May 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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