Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change ordered to declare the area adjacent to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and one and a half kilometers north-south (from Scholastica School to Hotel La Meridien) as a 'quiet zone' as per Rule-4 of Noise Pollution Control Rules, 2006. Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority (BABICHAK), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Department of Environment, Road Department, Transport Owners Association took initiative to implement the advisor's instructions. From October 1, the area became a 'quiet area'. However, no one was seen following this rule after going to the area. He continues to blow the horn unnecessarily as he can. Bus-motorcycle honking ahead. However, no one was seen to monitor or determine the extent to which they were honking. Any human will appreciate the exaggerated sound that the horn produces.
Local residents and businessmen complain that there has been no change in noise pollution since the inauguration of the silent area program yesterday. As before, the drivers are honking for no reason. Therefore, it is not possible to implement this program without the application of the law. However, vehicle drivers claim that it is not possible to drive vehicles without horn on the road in Dhaka city. Because, the pedestrians on the road do not follow the traffic rules. There is no zebra crossing or traffic signal anywhere on the road. As a result, pedestrians cross the road everywhere. In such situations, if the horn is not used, the accident will increase.
Last Thursday, a board hanging on a steel pole on the footpath of Uttara's Scholastica Point area was seen writing 'Silent Area Start: Dhaka Road Division'. Likewise, in front of La Meridian Point in the south are various boards marking the beginning of the silent area. But nowhere on this road was a car running without a horn. Among them, there is more honking in front of the entrance to Shahjalal Airport. Members of the environmental organization Green Voice are working to create public awareness on this road. But the drivers are not listening to them. Based Kabir drives a motorcycle on rent. Speaking in front of the airport station, he said, 'Motorcycles are two-wheeled vehicles. This vehicle is almost impossible to drive without horn. Still, if traffic signals, zebra crossings were ensured, it would have been easier to walk without honking the horn.
Kamal Hossain, a driver of a double-decker BRTC bus bound for Banani, said, "Lots of pedestrians cross the road from the front of the airport railway station to the entrance of Terminal-1 and Terminal-2 of the airport. There are no traffic signals, no zebra crossings. As a result, you have to blow the horn while traveling on this road. Alamgir Kabir, coordinator of Green Voice, said, "After the inauguration of the silent zone program yesterday, two vehicles were fined for honking their horns. Even today the mobile court is conducting operations.
President of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association Saiful Islam said, "All bus owners and drivers plying on that route have been instructed not to sound their horn in Shahjalal Airport area. Many bus drivers are driving there according to the rules. I hope the horn will gradually decrease. According to the Noise Pollution Control Rules-2006, the noise level in residential areas cannot exceed 45 decibels from 9 pm to 6 am and 55 decibels at other times of the day. In commercial areas it is 60 and 70 decibels respectively. Up to 100 meters around hospitals, educational institutions, offices and courts have been declared as silent zones. There are 40 decibels at night and 50 decibels during the day. In this law, as a punishment, if the law is violated, there is a provision of imprisonment for one month or a fine not exceeding Tkfive thousand or both for the first offense and six months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding Tkten thousand or both for the subsequent offence. It is known that the Department of Environment has announced 12 silent areas across the country. There are five silent areas in Dhaka. Shahjalal International Airport area has been added recently. Earlier, Secretariat, Agargaon, Sangsad Bhavan, Prime Minister's Office area were declared silent areas. According to a study by the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), none of the silent zones have implemented 'quiet zones' as per the law. All were found to have high noise levels. According to the study, the noise level in 12 locations of the secretariat of the silent area is 79.5 decibels on average. 71.86 decibels in Jatiya Sangsad area, 75.58 decibels in Prime Minister's Office area and 72.86 decibels in Agargaon area.
According to a study by the environmentalist organization Parija, noise levels in previously quiet areas ranged from 84.5 decibels to 101.7 decibels during the day and 96.4 decibels to 101.5 decibels at night. Noise levels in residential areas ranged from 82 to 91 decibels during the day and 83 to 91.6 decibels at night. Ahmad Kamruzzaman, Professor of Environmental Science Department of Stamford University, said, 'The two laws we have to prevent noise pollution are not playing a good role. Besides, as per the law, school-college, hospital, mosque areas have been identified as silent areas up to 100 meters. The entire Dhaka city is a silent area as defined by the law. No honking anywhere. It is a big limitation when it comes to enforcing the law. This environmental expert said, 'Since the horn is one of the sources of noise pollution, only if it can be stopped, 60 percent of the noise pollution in Dhaka city will be reduced. But the legal basis for stopping it is weak.”
ZH
