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CHATTOGRAM, Aug, 20, 2026 (BSS)- Air and sound pollutions have reached intolerable level making city dwellers suffer from the different complications and diseases.
 
Air pollution caused by black emission of smokes from unfit vehicles and dusts from open space   results in the increase of bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory complications, locals said. 

Besides, people of Chattogram are passing hard time tolerating sound pollution created by the hydraulic horns of vehicles, power generators and wielding engineering workshops located in and around residential areas, they said.
 
The noisy environment of sound pollution affects children physically and psychologically most. 

Experts say sound pollutions have reached nearly 200 decibel (dB) against its tolerable level is 60 (dB). 
 
Meanwhile, environmentalists said air pollution from thousands of unfit vehicles reached 100 percent against 65 percent, maximum tolerable level of hard ridge Smoke Unit (HSU).
 
Besides, pollution from dusts has also reached 500 plus microgram though its tolerable level is considered 200 microgram Suspended Particulates Matter (SPM), according to Department of Environment (DOE).

The environmentalists detected the reason of such environment degradation in the city is because of joining smoked air which is created by the unfit vehicles coupled with dusts from open space. 
 
Physicians feared   that if such environmental degradation continues,   respiratory deceases would increase manifold among city residents in the coming days.
 
DOE sources said the pollution is very high at city’s busy business centers likes Chawkbazar, Bahaddarhat crossing, GEC crossing, Newmarket, Agrabad and Andarkillah.
 
Residents of Bahaddarhat and Chawkbazar areas alleged that the situation worsens at night as wielding operators start their generators which create higher noise than tolerable level.
 
Continuous sound of diesel run generators in different apartments and motorized vehicles makes the environment a mere hell, alleged some residents of Khulshi area who live around. 
 
We tried to draw the attention of the concerned persons repeatedly but it went in vain, residents alleged.
 
"If my mother calls me loudly from next room, I do not hear her because of the sound pollution, created by generator of a nearby residential flat and wielding factory," alleged Noha Akter, a SSC examinee living at city’s Bahaddarhat area.
 
"I usually study at night but I find it very difficult to continue my study for the noise", said Jashim Uddin, a teacher of Chawkbazar area.
 
"It is very hard to sleep, my kids often get up being frightened and start crying to hear the sound of heavy vehicles", he added
 
Talking to BSS ENT specialists Dr Abdus Sattar said continuous sound pollution may totally deafen the children as well as the adults. 
 
"A noisy environment can affect children physically and psychologically,” Dr Abdus Sattar added.
 
According to government guidelines, wielding engineering and lead machines, iron factories and generators must be set up at least one km away from residences and power generators must be set up underground.
 
It is alleged that factory and wielding engineering owners and developers of the residential flats pay no heed to the complaints regarding the situation.
 
Over 32 percent unfit light and heavy vehicles have been playing on the roads of Chattogram city and its adjacent areas without fitness, which emit  black smokes, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Chattogram office source said. 
 
BRTA sources said they send data of those unfit vehicles after every six months to the traffic department in the city and district for checking the vehicles and controlling the black smoke. 
 
Talking to BSS on anonymity an officer of BRTA, said they issue notice regularly to the defaulting vehicle owners for renovating their vehicles, renewing the certificates and paying road taxes.
 
Though BRTA officials claimed they continue to conduct drives against the unfit vehicles with the help of Chattogram district administration, traffic department, and metropolitan and district police, but the situation remained unchanged for unknown reasons. 

Additional Deputy Commissioner (PR) Aminur Rashid said the unfit vehicles not only pollute air and sound but also contribute to create traffic jams and road accidents. 
 
He emphasized on combined efforts by the traffic department and BRTA to check the vehicles.

Zamir Uddin, director of DoE, Chattogram Metro told BSS that the department’s drive for reducing air and sound pollution is going on since 2008. Drive against the unfit vehicles is also continuing. Specific action will be taken if anybody complains regarding sound pollution, he said.