Noise pollution must be included in education curriculum, says Environment Minister

Bangladesh’s environment minister urged inclusion of noise pollution in the education curriculum, highlighting its health impacts and calling for coordinated action, stronger enforcement, public awareness, and expansion of silent zones.

Bangladesh Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Mr. Abdul Awal Mintoo, MP, has said that noise pollution should be included in the national education curriculum to build awareness from an early age, alongside stronger and coordinated action to address both air and noise pollution.

He made the remarks while addressing the closing workshop of the “Integrated and Participatory Noise Pollution Control Project,” implemented by the Department of Environment (DoE), held at the DoE auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Sunday.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo said that air and noise pollution must be controlled through the united efforts of all stakeholders, including government and private institutions, relevant agencies and the general public. He emphasized that effective control of noise pollution requires coordinated and sustained action rather than isolated interventions.

He said that noise pollution is increasing public health risks and that people must be made aware of its impacts. He noted that noise pollution can cause headaches, hearing loss, irritability, lack of concentration, insomnia and various physical and mental health problems. Children and elderly people are among the most affected, while it is particularly dangerous for heart patients.

He further said that a driver’s own use of the horn can often become a source of harm to himself, while excessive honking on roads is also severely affecting traffic police personnel on duty.

Stressing that noise pollution cannot be eliminated through a single project alone, the minister highlighted the roles of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Bangladesh Police and other relevant institutions, alongside active public participation.

He expressed optimism that sustained and coordinated efforts would help transform Bangladesh into a noise-pollution-free country.

He informed the workshop that pilot initiatives are underway to declare several areas as “silent zones.” Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Niketan, as well as the road from Le Méridien Hotel near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Scholastica Secondary School in Uttara, have already been declared silent zones.

He added that the Bangladesh Secretariat, the Agargaon administrative area and hospital, educational and administrative zones across all city corporations have also been brought under silent zone declarations.

The workshop was attended by Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md. Raihan Kawsar, BRTA Director (Operations) Mir Ahmed Tarikul Omar, Additional Secretary Dr. Nurun Nahar, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Traffic) Md. Anisur Rahman and Additional Director General of the Department of Environment Md. Ziaul Haque.

It was chaired by Director General of the Department of Environment Dr. Md. Lutfur Rahman.

Speaking at the event, Secretary Md. Raihan Kawsar said that noise pollution is increasingly posing serious health risks to people while also causing significant harm to biodiversity. He added that targeted training for personnel involved in railways, aviation, transport and machinery operations could significantly reduce noise pollution.

Highlighting enforcement activities under the project, DMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md. Anisur Rahman said that since the issuance of the Noise Pollution Control Rules, 2025, Dhaka Metropolitan Police has filed 29,478 cases and collected fines amounting to Tk 1.92 crore. He added that enforcement activities have significantly increased awareness among road users and contributed to reducing excessive horn use in the city.

Project Director Farid Ahmed said that under the project, 2,500 mobile court operations were conducted, resulting in 7,297 cases and fines amounting to Tk 1,08,13,157, along with the seizure and destruction of 6,986 hydraulic horns.

He added that enforcement capacity has been strengthened following the issuance of the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules, 2025, which empowered traffic sergeants and higher-ranking officers to take legal action against violations.

The minister also expressed hope that continued coordination among institutions and sustained monitoring would ensure long-term impact beyond project-based interventions.

At the end of the programme, the minister unveiled a book titled “Survey Reports on Noise Level Measurement in 64 District Towns.”