The Iman’s call to prayer is heard at the Islamic prayer times throughout the day, sometimes very loud and sometimes a melodic background sound. I haven’t yet found out why sometimes the musical nature of the call is pleasantly calming and other times has an urgency about it.

I guess that  being the tenth largest city in the world noise pollution is inevitable to become the latest addition to the arena of environmental pollution issues in Dhaka. The ‘noise’ of the incomprehensible traffic is unendingly chaotic and a real assault on the senses. Hundreds of cars continuous jockeying to nudge into an open space, lots of weaving in and out of lanes, all of this involves relentless honking to signal lane changes, passing or letting you know you are to close. If the traffic is stationary for too long  it seems every vehicle on the road honks, absolutely deafening!  Travelling behind a coach is another experience altogether, lights flashing and music blaring out of loud speakers at huge velocity , people are becoming restless sitting in traffic hour after hour along with loud speakers with political programme slogans blaring out. Industrial noises from construction sites on every piece of available land are seriously affecting inner city dwellers. Our hotel which on a Friday is a haven of peace and tranquility becomes almost part of the construction site on two sides during week days.

The noise on the streets of Dhaka have been recorded at 60 to 80 decibel and the World Health Organisation have stated that 60 decibel can cause deafness and 100 can cause permanent deafness so this causes serious health hazards for the people of Dhaka who already face incredible hardships. They are calling noise pollution the invisible killer.

On a lighter note the large number of Crows wherever you look swooping and cawing distracts a little from the other city noises.