The High Court (HC) yesterday banned the use of vehicle horns after 10pm and set a speed limit of 20kmph in the residential and VIP areas of Dhaka city. The HC bench, comprising Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah, came up with the ban during a rule hearing to ensure that there is no sound pollution during the quiet hours at night. The HC bench also banned the use of horns on roads adjoining schools, colleges and hospitals. It also asked the government to stop the production of hydraulic horns in the country. “Today’s order was a continuation of previous orders on the matter,” the HC bench said, adding that it came up with the order to prevent sound pollution in the city. The HC bench also directed the home secretary and the inspector-general of police (IGP) to shut down the factories that produce pneumatic horns.

The HC bench came up with the orders following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a human rights organisation, seeking its directive on the matter. Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared for the petitioner while deputy attorney-general Taposh Kumar Biswash represented the state.

Murshid later told reporters that the HC bench asked the home secretary and the IGP to issue instructions on the ban, speed limit and production halt to field-level employees. “The court issued instructions that its orders be implemented speedily and ordered a report on the matter,” he added.

On November 5, the HC directed the government to stop the use of hydraulic horns across the country, aiming to mitigate sound pollution.

On August 23, the court banned the use of hydraulic horns in Dhaka. Later, on October 8, transport operators and drivers of Dhaka were given 15 days to deposit the hydraulic horns used in their vehicles at their respective police stations.

According to the writ petition, any machine that causes sound pollution cannot be used, as per the Motors Vehicles Ordinance. However, different vehicles are using hydraulic horns, in violation of the Act.