Speakers at a views-exchange meeting have said that noise pollution, also known as sound pollution, is now a silent killer needing coordinated efforts to mitigate the problem in Bangladesh.
“We are slowly turning into a deaf nation due to excessive noise pollution. It must be controlled to save the nation,” AlamgirKabir, joint secretary of Bangladesh ParibeshAndolan (BAPA) said at the views-exchange meeting.
Speaking at the event as the chief guest, Advocate KhodezaNasreen Akhter Hossain, an MP from reserved seat for women and member of the parliamentary standing committee on Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change said that the common people are the direct victims of noise pollution. “That is why we need to work together on noise pollution in the same way we are working on climate adaptation. We can use digital technology to identify who is causing the noise pollution,” she added.
The views-exchange meeting on ‘Role of Stakeholders in Noise Pollution Control’ was held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Tuesday (February 7). It was under the ‘Integrated and Partnership Project on Noise Pollution Control’ of the Department of Environment (DoE).
EQMS Consulting Limited and Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS) are providing support in the survey and consultation meeting activities in this project of the DoE.
Prof Mohammad Ali Naqi, former Vice-Chancellor of Stamford University Bangladesh; presided over the views-exchange meeting, while Prof Dr Ahmad KamruzzamanMajumder, founding chairman of the CAPS delivered the welcome speech, and Eng. Md. Nasir Ahmed Patwari, field coordinator of the project; presented the project related documentaries.
Abu Nasser Khan, chairman of Save the Environment Movement; Mohammad RabiulAlam, additional executive director of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA); and HumayunKabirSuman, Mihir Biswas and Ibnul Syed Rana of BAPA spoke on the occasion, among others.
In his welcome speech, Dr Ahmad KamruzzamanMajumder said that there are enough laws in the country to prevent environmental pollution, including noise pollution, but strict enforcement of laws and awareness are needed to curb noise pollution.
Supporting the environmental scientist, Advocate KhodezaNasreen Akhter Hossain in her speech said that mass awareness must be created about the harmful aspects of noise pollution and work should be done at local, district and departmental levels to protect the environment.
She also said that she would raise the issue in the Parliament so that the nation can be freed from noise pollution. It is positive that government as well as private organizations are working on noise pollution, she added.
“We have to take initiatives on priority basis to prevent noise pollution,” Prof Mohammad Ali Naqi said during his presidential speech at the views-exchange meeting.
Mentioning some reasons behind the noise pollution, Abu Nasser Khan said that common people are the direct victims of the noise pollution caused by vehicles. “We must stop blowing horns to protect public health. Sources of noise pollution should be addressed on a priority basis. The Department of Environment, BRTA, BRTC, Police, Rajuk and City Corporation should work in coordination to curb noise pollution,” he said.
Mohammad RabiulAlam said that DTCA works in coordination with various authorities. The DTCA will cooperate in coordinating important issues like noise pollution. The government enforcement authorities should provide equipment and machinery so that they can take action by measuring noise intensity. He, however, suggested planting trees for sound barriers along roads to prevent noise pollution.
AlamgirKabir said that educational institutions and industrial factories should be removed from residential areas to maintain the noise level. The owners and drivers should be sensitized through seminars on the dangers of honking, when registering vehicles with BRTA.
He also suggested installing a tracking device for noise pollution monitoring in each vehicle and providing it to the access traffic department.
Other speakers said that the noise pollution has been seriously affecting people’s heart, brain and hearing capacity. Effective steps must be taken to control excessive noise pollution in order to save the nation.