Environmentalists and citizen rights activists yesterday demanded proper implementation of Noise Pollution (Control) Rules, 2006 to cut sound pollution in the capital considering the health and environmental complications it causes.
They also demanded enforcement of the law on vehicle drivers who ply the roads with noisy engines and unnecessarily hoot their horns.
The demands were made at a citizen rally organised by Coalition Against Pollution (CAP), an alliance of 12 organisations, before Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University.
Amair Hasan, president of Green Mind Society, a component of the alliance, said the government formulated the rule but is very reluctant to implement it.
Sound levels at different points in the capital are more than double the permissible level, said Campaign for Development Foundation Chairman Mosiur Rahman Rubel, quoting a 2012 survey of his organisation and Nirapad Development Foundation (NDF), two alliance members.
He said daytime tests taken in Shahbag revealed noise of 120 to 126 decibels while Jatrabari faced 125 to 130 decibels.
As per the rule, the daytime noise level in mixed-use areas should remain within 60 decibels. The World Health Organisation, as per a BBC report, suggests that healthy noise levels should not surpass 55 decibels during the day.
Other demands include assigning traffic police, alongside Department of Environment, to impose the rule, intensifying monitoring on vehicles plying the roads and deploying mobile courts to serve immediate legal action.
Prof Kamal Ataur Rahman of Asian University of Bangladesh, CAP Convenor Ibnul Syed Rana and NDF Executive Member Noor Ahmaed also spoke at the programme.