Society for Assistance to Hearing Impaired Children (SAHIC) organised the seminar on "Hearing Disability: Role of the Government, Civil Society and International Community" for working out ways for prevention, early detection and rehabilitation of hearing impaired, especially in children.

Prof Nurul Amin of the SAHIC in his keynote speech said, "Noise pollution in industries, traffic movement, loud speakers, band music and other sources must be reduced to a tolerable level through effective implementation of proper legislation for prevention against hearing impairment."

He said at least nine million people in Bangladesh, who constitute 8 percent of the country's total population, are affected with hearing-related diseases.

With advancement in science and technology, 95 per cent of hearing-impaired patients can be recovered with medical and surgical treatment or hearing aid, he added.

"Early detection of the disease betters the chance for increased listening for the patients," he said.

He also suggested the people to take MMR vaccine for prevention against mumps, measles, and rubella diseases, which cause hearing impairment.

Prof Amin also urged the government to prohibit selling, without prescription of a qualified physician, of Ototoxic drugs, which cause irreparable hearing disability.

Schmidt, a speech therapist at the SAHIC, urged authorities concerned to be aware of horrific and catastrophic consequences of noise pollution.

Among others, Prof Mizanur Rahman, director general of health services directorate, and Prof M Jalisi, South-East Asian regional representative of International Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society, attended the seminar.