Desk Report: About 43.20 crores of adults in the world are victims of occupational noise pollution. Rickshaw pullers are the most sufferers of this problem in Bangladesh. About 42 percent of the rickshaw pullers in all city corporations including capital Dhaka are victims of noise pollution, followed by traffic police and laguna drivers.

This was stated in the research report of Bangladesh University of Health Sciences on ‘Road noise in Bangladesh and hearing problems of road workers due to noise pollution’.

Chief researcher Dr. Saika Nizam presented the results of the research at Bangladesh University of Health Sciences Ibrahim Auditorium.

The research, conducted on 647 people working on the highways of the five city corporations— Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Rajshahi, Cumilla, and Sylhet— found that the noise levels range between 84 to 99 DB in all of them, while the roadside noise level is much higher than the allowable limit.

Dr. Saika Nizam said this research was conducted between April to June this year. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of road noise pollution and to determine the effect of that noise pollution on the hearing of road professionals.

According to the study, one in four people who took part in the survey is suffering from hearing loss. The highest proportion (41.9%) of rickshaw pullers suffered from hearing loss followed by traffic police and sergeants (30.7%), CNG, and laguna drivers (23.9%).

The highest 55% of the hearing impairment cases were found in Cumilla, 30.7% in Sylhet, and 22.3% in Dhaka while 13.9% of professionals working on highways suffered from ear problems. The measured sound level was between 84 and 99 Db in all city corporations while the level of roadside noise was also much higher than the allowable limit of 60 DB.

At this time, several recommendations were highlighted including measures to reduce the source and level of noise pollution.