It was the klaxon-type horns used by buses that raised the hoo-ha over sound pollution on Dhaka's roads. In particular, the sensitive areas such as hospitals and schools were identified as being of special concern. And while transport owners bent backwards for more subdued honking, the newer form of sound pollution didn't take long to hit the streets. The privileged and powerful have fitted their vehicles with horns that gravitate between a frog, foghorn and then a yelp of a whistle, essentially to announce their presence because no one takes much notice of them any more. They croak and groan without warning in the middle of a jam and if anything, get a few curious heads turned to see the fun. These have no compunction about blaring out whether they are in a residential, hospital or school zone.
Adding to the torture of poor commuters is the unending wail of ambulance sirens, again fairly useless in traffic snarls where no one gives way. One suspects that some of these blare without any patients within or without an emergency to deal with.
That VIP transport should have a right if way is fair enough but it does look comical when foreign embassy vehicles with their retinue of security, tiredly waving their beacons, run the wrong side of the street and still look as if they're in the right. Traffic cops are hard put at least to maintain even a semblance of order on the roads and hardly have time to check on errantly sounding horns. And while most vehicles honk just because they can, the most affluent of passengers rarely upbraid their drivers. One of the worst incidences is the croak and squeal of VIP horns in the quiet and stillness of the night. These would have to be the same persons who will froth at the mouth over unnecessary and irreverent use of horns when it is of least use.
Car adverts almost never show off how good, musical or effectively ugly the horns are. In most countries, these are designed to be used more as a show of anger than anything else. A combination of all types of honks with the creaking, groaning fitness-passes unfit vehicles and the merry concoction of rickshaws and CNGs combine for sound that must be exceeding the decibel count earmarked for safety. The Department of Environment has taken its foot off the gas in emission checks and certainly off sound checks. Yet a simple check and disabling at the point of entry is easy enough. And those who claim that the call to prayer from the mosques should be considered as noise pollution might just pause to ponder about their own vehicles. And then again, maybe their hearing might be confined and prejudiced in any case.
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