This will also help curb corruption and anomalies in issuance of licences, they observed.

The speakers said there are allegations that the BRTA provides fake licences and fitness certificates in exchange for hefty payments.

Bangladesh Society for Conservation of Environment (BSCE) organised the discussion on 'Noise pollution, traffic mismanagement and health hazards'.

The speakers said the noise pollution was posing serious health hazards to the city dwellers. About 1.33 crore people are suffering from hearing impairments to various extents, and children are the worst victims.

The tolerable sound pressure for humans is 45 decimal, but most vehicles use hydraulic horns making noise up to 140 decimal, they observed.

To limit the sound level, the government was finalising the Noise Pollution Control Guidelines, 2003, said Dr. Omar Faruque Khan, director general of the department of Environment.

For residential areas, the sound limit has been set at 50 decimal during the day and 40 decimal at night while 70 decimal and 60 decimal for commercial areas, he said.

In the silent zone, the sound level must not cross 45 decimal during the day and 40 decimal at night, according to the guidelines.

Quamrul Islam Siddiqi, executive director of Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB), said the board is going to introduce electronic traffic signal system soon for better traffic management as traffic mismanagement is the main reason for noise pollution.

The DTCB will also conduct a study on the impact of noise pollution on traffic police.

To improve traffic management, more major roads would be made off-limits this year, siddiqi said.

Aminur Rahman, secretary of the ministry of housing and public works, called for a mass awareness programme and inclusion of a chapter in the textbook to raise awareness about noise pollution.

Presenting the keynote paper, BSCE President Prof. Abdullah A Harun said the main source of noise pollution in the city is haphazard traffic system, use of mega-phone in rallies, unplanned setting up of mills and factories and brick-crushing machine.

He also suggested proper training for the drivers, making roads off-limits to rickshaws and a monitoring system to control noise pollution.

Prof. M Abdullah, principal of Sir Salimullah Medical College, Prof. MK Alam of Dhaka University, M A Jalil, senior enforcement officer of DTCB, and Tawfiq Arif, acting advisor of the World Health Organisation, also spoke.