NOISE POLLUTION AND ITS EFFECT ON STUDENTS OF SOME SELECTED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES OF DHAKA METROPOLITAN CITY

ABSTRACT
A study was conducted in some selected educational institutes (31) in Dhaka metropolitan city. To find out the level of noise at those institutes and the effects of noise exposure on the students of the educational institutes were selected purposively. From the study it was observed that the average noise level in front of the institutes were 85.7dB, which was beyond the WHO recommended noise level 56dB-65dB. The noise pollution badly affected the academic matters of the students and also affected the health condition of the students. Noise data were collected at different time intervals to find out the variation of sound levels. It was found that noise pollution caused the health problems of maximum respondents (79%). The respondents reported that the most disturbing period was 10 am to 11.59 am. Noise pollution level was strongly unbearable according to 42.56% respondents and unbearable to 50.91% respondents at those institutes. Among the selected educational institutes, the academic matter was affected by noise pollution. It was found that Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Residential Model College, Dhanmondi Govt. Boys School and Govt. Laboratory High School students academic performances were gradually decreasing, which could be due to higher noise pollution (above 85bB). On the otherhand the students of Rajuk Uttara Model School and College, Motejheel Govt. Boys High School, Abdul Kadir Mollah City College showed good academic results which may be due to low noise pollution (below 78dB). Majority of the respondents were affected by the headache, more heart beat, sleeping disturbance, mental stress, insomnia, speech interference and concentration loss in academic matters due to higher exposure of noise pollution.