Dhaka to observe 1 minute of silence on Sunday
Vehicles will be called on to refrain from blowing horns for a minute at 10pm
The bustling capital city of Dhaka will observe a one-minute silence on Sunday as part of the government's campaign against noise pollution.
The programme will be held from 10:00am to 10:01am to raise awareness on freeing people from the harmful effects of noise pollution, said Dr Farhina Ahmed, secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, at a press conference yesterday.
During the one minute of silence, vehicles will be called on to refrain from blowing horns in a bid to maintain noise-free streets.
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Excessive noise pollution can lead to numerous health issues, such as hearing loss, heart disease, high blood pressure, insomnia, mental health problems, prenatal complications, and developmental challenges in children, said Dr Farhina Ahmed.
"As a result of noise pollution, there is a negative impact on the country's human resources and the overall growth," she added.
As a part of raising public awareness activities to control noise pollution, human chains will be organised under the slogan "Stop noise pollution, observe silence for one minute" at 11 spots in Dhaka – including Osmani Memorial Auditorium, Shahbag, Uttara, Bijoy Sarani, Mirpur-10, Gabtoli, Moghbazar, Mohakhali, Gulshan-1, Kamalapur, and Jatrabari.
From 9:30am to 10:00am, officials of various departments and organisations under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, scout members of schools and colleges, local public representatives, traffic police and members of the Transport Owners Association will join the human chain.
According to the World Health Organization, sound above 60 decibels can cause temporary deafness and sound above 100 decibels can cause permanent deafness.
Impulse noise levels were recorded ranging from a minimum of 40 decibels to a maximum of 133.4 decibels at specified locations along roads, Dr Farhina Ahmed said citing a survey conducted at 206 locations selected in eight divisional cities.
Vehicle horns are a significant contributor to noise pollution, and individuals residing in areas with frequent horn use face significant health risks, she added.
