Unnecessary honking must stop to curb noise pollution

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan on Saturday urged citizens to stop unnecessary honking to control noise pollution, describing it as a long-standing habit that must be addressed through law enforcement and public awareness.

She made the remarks while inaugurating a motor rally against honking, jointly organised by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) under the Integrated and Partnership-based Project for Noise Pollution Control.

Rizwana said the Noise Pollution (Control) Regulations 2025 have been gazetted, empowering both the DoE and police to take action against violators. She added that several areas of Dhaka have been declared silent zones, and monitoring must be strengthened.

Identifying unnecessary honking and fireworks as major sources of noise pollution, she said steps would be taken to ensure fireworks are used only at designated locations during Pahela Baishakh celebrations.

The rally, carrying the slogan “No more noise pollution, let healthy life prevail”, started from Manik Mia Avenue and passed through Farmgate, Karwan Bazar and Bijoy Sarani, ending at the DoE office in Agargaon.

Also present at the event were Environment Ministry Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, DoE Director General Dr Md Kamruzzaman, DMP Additional Commissioners Md Sarwar and Md Anisur Rahman, Project Director Farid Ahmed, and other senior officials.

Under the project, mobile courts and awareness campaigns were conducted at 10 key points in Dhaka from 5 January for 10 days, concluding with the motor rally. The campaign was supported by student volunteers from Green Voice.