Noise pollution: Why are only Dhaka's upscale areas declared silent zones?

Officially speaking, secretariat and its surrounding areas in the capital city are designated as “silent zones.” Using vehicle horns is prohibited there. Yet, on the afternoon of 17 September, during a visit to the secretariat and its adjoining roads, drivers were found honking indiscriminately. The blaring horns were unbearable.

Several other parts of Dhaka have also been officially declared “silent zones.” These include Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and its surroundings (about one and a half kilometers to the north and south of the airport), Agargaon, the Parliament area, and the Chief Adviser’s Office. Most recently, on 16 September, Dhaka North City authorities declared four more upscale neighborhoods - Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, and Niketan - as “silent zones.”

Environmentalists and urban planners say that before designating an area as a silent zone, no scientific research is conducted on noise pollution there. Even after such declarations are made, no effective measures for enforcement are visible.

The relevant government authorities merely make the announcements and consider their job done. Meanwhile, many city dwellers ask: why are only elite or VIP neighbourhoods being declared silent zones? Are residents of other areas immune to the physical and mental problems caused by noise pollution?

A silent zone is a designated area where honking and loud noises are prohibited in order to prevent noise pollution. Typically, areas near hospitals, educational institutions, courts or airports are declared as silent zones. In these places, drivers are not allowed to honk. If noise levels exceed the prescribed limit, legal action is taken.

According to the 2006 Noise Pollution Control Rules, the permissible noise level in a silent zone is 50 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night. Under Section 8(2) of these rules, honking in violation of the ban in a silent zone is considered a punishable offence. For a first offence, the penalty is at least one month imprisonment, or a fine of Tk 5,000, or both. For repeated offences, the punishment increases to at least six months of imprisonment, or a fine of Tk 10,000, or both.

According to the World Health Organization’s 2021 guidelines, the ideal noise limit in residential areas is 55 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night. The organisation warns that excessive noise can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and mental health problems.

On Wednesday afternoon, a visit to the roads around the secretariat revealed that drivers of buses, CNG-run autorickshaws, private cars, motorcycles and other personal vehicles were honking unnecessarily. Motorcyclists and car drivers in particular seemed to be competing with each other in blowing their horns. Excessive honking was most noticeable just before stopping at traffic signals and immediately after the signal turned green.

• Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and its surroundings (about one and a half kilometers to the north and south of the airport)
• Agargaon
• Parliament area
• Chief Adviser’s Office

In the declared silent zones, the rule is that legal action must be taken against anyone who honks. Yet, during an observation from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm that day, no legal action was seen being taken against unnecessary honking in the area.

A traffic officer stationed at the GPO intersection near the secretariat said, “We can barely manage vehicles and the horrendous traffic jams as it is.”

Stamford University's Centre for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) conducted a study to assess the variation in noise pollution in silent zones, both before and the declaration was made. The institution measured noise levels scientifically using automated sound level metres.

A 10-member research team from CAPS measured noise levels in four government-declared silent zones in Dhaka in March 2022 and identified excessive noise pollution in all areas. Among them, the secretariat area recorded the highest average noise level of 100.17 decibels, nearly double the national standard. Next was the Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) area, where the noise level was 99.35 decibels.

• Secretariat area: average noise level 100.17 decibels
• National Parliament area: noise level 99.35 decibels
• Agargaon area: lowest average noise level 78.11 decibels

Even the lowest average in Agargaon exceeded the recommended standard. The survey recorded a maximum of 127 decibels in the secretariat and a minimum of 53.40 decibels in Agargaon. Overall, the average noise level across all areas was 97.63 decibels, raising questions about the effectiveness of the silent zone designation.

Professor Ahmed Kamruzzaman Majumdar, chairman of CAPS, believes that in a city like Dhaka, which suffers from excessive noise pollution, certain areas could have been designated as silent zones using a scientific approach. However, in reality, no coordination meetings were held for the areas that were declared silent zones. No baseline data was collected, and decisions were made without reviewing specific criteria.

Professor Adil Muhammad Khan, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), says that declaring only upscale areas as silent zones is a policy-based discrimination and goes against the principle of equality. Excessive noise is also damaging hearing in other areas of Dhaka, yet no initiatives have been taken there.

Farid Ahmed, director of the Dhaka city office of the Department of Environment, says that even in declared silent zones, honking has not stopped and noise pollution has not been reduced. He told Prothom Alo that enforcement in the secretariat area is difficult because noise pollution could not be reduced due to heavy vehicle traffic. At the airport, activities had been halted because the noise reduction project had expired, though it is now being renewed. He also mentioned that under the new rules, traffic police will be given direct authority to enforce the law.