The government has decided to amend the noise pollution control rules based on a survey conducted to determine the noise level in 64 districts of the country.
The department of environment of the environment ministry conducted the survey, which collected 699,840 data from across the country, including 70 locations in Dhaka city.
The survey found the cause of the sound pollution, including the use of excessive hydraulic horns in vehicles, industrial noise/ mechanical noise, use of mikes and loudspeakers for different purposes/ occasions, construction activities, aeroplanes, rail and water vehicles.
The survey findings were discussed at the validation workshop of the noise quality measurement survey. The survey was conducted under the integrated and partnership project to control noise pollution organized at the Department of Environment on Thursday.
Environment Minister Md. Shahab Uddin addressed the event as the chief guest.
Syedá Masuma Khanom, Project Director of ‘Integrated and Participatory Project to Control Noise Pollution’, briefed the project in a presentation at the event.
The presentation read that --sound quality has been recorded in 64 districts, including 70 points in Dhaka under the survey. From the statistics obtained by them, specific standards of noise pollution will be determined.
Based on this, the existing Noise Pollution (Control) Rules, 2006, will be amended to make it more practical and up-to-date, her presentation added.
The Environment Minister said that various effective measures are being taken and implemented under the integrated and partnership project to control noise pollution.
The survey report will be published. “Later, the noise pollution control rules will be amended accordingly,” he continued.
Furthermore, cooperation is needed from BRTA and Bangladesh Police Force to control noise pollution.
Dr Husne Qamar Mazumdari, associate professor (ENT) of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, gave a presentation.
The presentation pointed out that sound pollution has longstanding health effects on the human body, including developing anxiety, health and mental disorder, suicide tendency, depression and so on.
Secretary of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Farhina Ahmed, Chairman of BRTA Nur Mohammad Mazumder, Dean of Law Faculty of Dhaka University D. Sima Jaman and others spoke in the workshop.
Abdul Hamid, Director General of the Department of Environment, chaired the event.