Fine for honking horn in secretariat area from Wednesday: Minister

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin on Tuesday said fine will be realised through conducting mobile court from Wednesday for honking horn in the surrounding areas of the secretariat.

“Mobile courts will be conducted from Wednesday for honking horn in the secretariat areas,” said the minister while speaking at a programme, marking the declaration of the secretariat area as ‘no horn zone’.

As per the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act of 1995, the punishment for honking horn in a ‘silent zone’ is maximum one month jail or Tk 5,000 fine or both for the first time violators and for repetition of the same offence the punishment is maximum six months jail or Tk 10,000 fine or both, said the minister.

He also sought cooperation from all for implementing the decision.

“It is tough to implement this type of decision through only government order in the mega city like Dhaka. This can be successful if people extend their cooperation,” he added.

On November 25, the minister said that the surrounding areas of the secretariat will be declared as ‘No Horn Zone’ from December 17.

Later, the declaration was made on December 8 that the surrounding areas of the Secretariat have been declared ‘No Horn Zone’ and the decision will become effective from December 17 aiming to prevent sound pollution.

No vehicle will be allowed to play horn at Zero Point, Paltan intersection and secretariat link road areas.