Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, announced plans to amend regulations to control honking and establish a horn-free silent zone across Dhaka city in December-January.
Unnecessary honking will force drivers get license renewals, with a fine of Tk500 imposed for first-time offenders. The enforcement of these fines will begin in December after analyzing mistakes made in October and November.
This announcement was made during the inauguration of a three-kilometre silent zone around Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, held in the conference room of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Rizwana Hasan emphasized the need for public awareness to change the long-standing habit of honking. "I do not honk in my vehicle, and I hope everyone will encourage drivers to refrain from honking.”
She further said: "The success of this initiative lies in initiating the work. Changing a long-standing habit takes time, and it will be implemented through awareness campaigns and strict law enforcement. For the next seven days, volunteers will monitor the situation on the roads to promote this awareness."
In response to questions from journalists, she mentioned that the use of sirens in VIP protocols will be discouraged. Initially, actions will focus on key areas, then extend throughout Dhaka city, and gradually address noise pollution in divisional cities.