Loud Election Campaigns Double Noise Pollution

Last Thursday at half-past nine in the evening, cultural activist Said Khan Sagar returned home to Arshinagar, Keraniganj, Dhaka, after a long day’s work, hoping for some rest. Instead, his peace was shattered by the piercing sound of election campaign loudspeakers blaring through his neighbourhood. Frustrated, he called the national emergency hotline 999, and shortly afterwards, police officers arrived to switch off the offending microphone.

Sagar told Prothom Alo that constant election noise was disrupting normal life. “Even though the use of microphones is prohibited after 8 pm, nobody seems to follow this rule,” he said. “I had no choice but to seek help through 999, and eventually the police acted.”

Noise pollution has long been a major source of civic distress in Dhaka and other large cities. During the 13th national parliamentary election, unceasing loudspeakers, campaign vehicles broadcasting music and slogans, and high-decibel announcements have intensified the problem. Residential areas, marketplaces, government-declared silent zones, and even hospital precincts are all affected.

According to the Election Commission’s Election Conduct Rules 2025:

Microphones, sound systems, and loudspeakers may only be used between 2 pm and 8 pm.

The sound output of these devices must not exceed 60 decibels.

Further, the Noise Pollution Control Regulations 2025 prohibit any use of loudspeakers in government-declared silent zones. Local authorities, including union councils, municipalities, city corporations, metropolitan police, and urban development authorities, have the power to designate areas or parts of areas as silent zones.

Recent official declarations include:

Shah Rafayet Chowdhury, a resident of Gulshan-1, told Prothom Alo that despite the area being a government-declared silent zone, loud campaign announcements from ‘Daṇḍipāḷlā’ and ‘Nāy Dhān’er Shīṣ’ candidates occur every five minutes. Campaigners mount loudspeakers on rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, ignoring the rules and creating a poor example of electoral conduct.

“Not just in Gulshan, even in Niketan near my office, the same chaos continues,” he added.

With election campaigns intensifying across the city, residents continue to bear the brunt of escalating noise pollution, raising serious concerns about enforcement and civic compliance during the electoral process.