The decision to declare the area surrounding Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport a silent zone is certainly a welcome one. Authorities have pledged strict enforcement against noise pollution, while emphasizing that violations will not be tolerated.
Such measures deserve recognition, particularly in a city where excessive noise has long been treated as an unavoidable and permanent part of urban life rather than a serious public health concern.
Yet the true test of this initiative lies not in the declaration itself but in its enforcement. Dhaka has no shortage of rules and regulations, but often lacks consistent implementation.
If drivers continue to use horns indiscriminately and violations go unpunished, the silent-zone designation will become little more than a symbolic gesture. Authorities must, therefore, ensure regular monitoring, visible enforcement, and sustained public awareness campaigns.
The broader issue is that Dhaka has become extraordinarily noisy: Constant honking, traffic congestion, construction activity, and unregulated use of loudspeakers have created an environment that affects millions every day.
Research worldwide has linked prolonged exposure to excessive noise with stress, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, sleep disruption, reduced productivity, and hearing loss, and the government's efforts to highlight these dangers underscore the urgency of the problem.
For this reason, the airport's silent zone should be just the beginning of similar initiatives that are expanded to hospitals, schools, residential neighbourhoods, and other sensitive areas across the capital.
At the same time, Dhaka's chronic overcrowding must be addressed through meaningful decentralization. As economic activity, government services, educational institutions, and employment opportunities remain concentrated in the capital, pressure on roads and public spaces will only intensify.
The airport initiative is a positive first step. Now, policymakers must ensure that it is enforced effectively, replicated where needed, and complemented by long-term efforts to reduce the excessive burden on the capital. Only then can silence truly become part of the city's future.