No honking, speeding after 10pm

The High Court yesterday banned the use of horns and fixed vehicles' speed limit to 20kph in residential and VIP areas of the capital after 10:00pm.

Noise pollution has turned acute in the city, putting the public health at risk, according to a survey conducted by the Department of Environment (DoE).

The survey, conducted at 70 points of the city this year, reveals that sound pollution reached 120-130 decibels (dB) at many points, almost double the permissible level.

After the hearing of a writ petition, the HC yesterday also restricted the use of all kinds of horns of vehicles near educational institutions and hospitals across the country.

The court asked the authorities concerned to control noise pollution on the streets near Shahbagh, between Science Laboratory and Gabtoli, and between Kakrail, Moghbazar and Mymensingh Road by forming monitoring teams.

The authorities were ordered to shut down small factories producing and selling pneumatic horns across the country, petitioner's lawyer Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star.

He said the bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah directed the home secretary and inspector general of police (IGP) to take necessary steps to implement the directives.

The bench also fixed February 2 next for passing further orders on this issue, he said.

Citing a police report, Manzill said law enforcers stop people using the sound-polluting horns but those could be bought at a cheap price.

Following the same writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, the HC on November 5, directed the government to stop the use of pneumatic horns in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

It said the authorities have to form a surveillance team to keep sound pollution within limits at different places including Gulshan, Dhanmondi and Officers' Club area in the capital.

On October 8, the HC directed vehicle owners and drivers all over the country to handover pneumatic horns to the police stations concerned within 15 days and also asked the police to destroy the pneumatic horns after receiving them.

The HRPB had submitted the petition challenging the legality of the use of pneumatic horns and sought necessary orders to stop noise pollution in Dhaka city.

Manzill at that time had told the court that trucks and buses had been using such horns and other devices creating noise pollution at an alarming level. Even, people in residential areas like Dhanmondi, Motijheel, Gulshan and Banani cannot sleep at night due to the noise.

As per the Motor Vehicles Rules 1940, every transport vehicle shall be fitted with a bulb horn, he added.