DHAKA, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh Sunday morning observed one minute of silence in capital Dhaka as part of the government's campaign to increase public awareness about noise pollution.
Bangladesh's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change took the initiative, and scores of organizations including educational, public and private institutions participated in the program.
Dhaka kept noise-free for one minute from 10:00 a.m. to 10:01 a.m. local time.
Participants attended the program with banners, placards, and festoons, and distributed leaflets and stickers in parts of Dhaka while vehicles were called on to refrain from honking horns.
Speaking at an event as part of marking the one minute of silence, Bangladeshi environment minister Md Shahab Uddin said they are planning to expand the initiative across the country.
The minister said the government plans to hold programs lasting one hour, five hours, and 10 hours in different regions across Bangladesh, with the ultimate goal of extending the program to a full 24 hours.
He hoped for everyone's cooperation to make the country free from noise pollution.
A report by the United Nations Environment Programme released last year said Dhaka has the highest level of noise pollution among the 61 most populated cities in the world.
The average noise frequency in Dhaka is currently 119 decibels, which is twice the tolerable standard. According to the World Health Organization, sound above 60 decibels can cause temporary deafness and sound above 100 decibels can cause permanent deafness. ■
