Honking banned in and around Secretariat from Tuesday, police warn of penalties

Drivers who honk their horns in and around the Bangladesh Secretariat will face punitive action from Tuesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has warned, as the heart of government is formally declared a “silent zone”.

In a public notice issued on Sunday and signed by DMP Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali, police said the ban covers the internal roads, surrounding streets and parking areas of the Secretariat complex.

Under the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2025, “silent zones” include offices and courts, hospitals and clinics, educational institutions and similar establishments, as well as areas within 100 metres of their boundaries.

Honking in these areas is a punishable offence, carrying a maximum fine of Tk 10,000 or up to three months’ imprisonment.

Citing the rules, the notice said the DMP’s traffic division will begin issuing fines from Tuesday against vehicles that violate the ban by using their horns in the Secretariat area.

On Oct 1, the interim government first moved to curb noise by designating a one-kilometre stretch north and south of Shahjalal International Airport as a silent zone and working to make it horn-free.

Alongside the airport, similar initiatives are under way to enforce silent zones in Agargaon that houses the Election Commission Secretariat, and around the parliament complex and the Chief Advisor’s Office in Tejgaon.