Noise pollution has left nearly 65 percent of drivers in Dhaka with hearing loss, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Sunday, warning that unchecked honking has become a serious public health concern.
“Noise pollution is everyone’s responsibility. It cannot be left to the government alone,” said Rizwana, adviser to the Ministries of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Water Resources, and Information and Broadcasting. She urged people to stop unnecessary honking, calling it a harmful habit that must change.
She made the remarks at a rally near the airport under a joint campaign by the Department of Environment, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, BRTA, DNCC and Civil Aviation to discourage horn use in designated silent zones. Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was also present.
Rizwana said schoolchildren are particularly affected by excessive noise and called on all citizens to play their part in reducing sound pollution. She also urged media professionals to raise public awareness and actively support the initiative.
“Initially, we are focusing on controlling horn use. No excuses justify honking,” she said, stressing the need for strict enforcement. She added that police should impose fines for horn misuse using digital monitoring devices, similar to other traffic violations.
The recently issued Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2025 have formally empowered authorities to take action. Traffic police have trained volunteers to support the campaign, while Civil Aviation can now work with volunteers to maintain horn-free zones around the airport, setting an example for the city.
Farhina Ahmed said the government is committed to implementing the noise control rules and appealed for public cooperation.
Officials attending the programme included DNCC administrator Mohammad Azaz, Dhaka Metropolitan Police additional commissioner Md Sarwar, Civil Aviation chairman Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Md Anisur Rahman, Project Director of the Noise Pollution Control Project Farid Ahmed, and senior officials from the Department of Environment, DMP, BRTA, DNCC and Civil Aviation.
