Assessment of noise pollution in Rajshahi city and remediation

This research article reports on a study conducted on 2022 and 2023 to measure noise levels at five selected locations in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. During the study, selected noise locations NQ1 and NQ4 fell under the silent zone, NQ2 and NQ5 fell under the commercial zone, and NQ3 fell under the industrial zone followed by the regulations of Bangladesh. The maximum allowable noise level of Bangladesh at day time are 50 dB(A) in the silent zone, 70 dB(A) in the commercial zone, and 75 dB(A) in the industrial zone. The study found that noise levels at NQ1 and NQ4 exceeded the Bangladesh standard by almost 75%, while noise levels at NQ2 and NQ5 were around 25% higher than the standard. The study also measured the noise levels of auto-rickshaws using TT Horn and Plastic Air Horn and found that the noise level for the Plastic Air Horn was within the limit, but it was exceeded for the TT Horn. The study highlights the need for regulations to control noise pollution in Bangladesh and suggests possible interventions to reduce noise levels from auto-rickshaws.