No More Azan on Loudspeakers

How long will a civilized society continue to silently tolerate this serial noise‑terrorism in the name of Azan?

In May of this year you saw how in Satkhira a Hindu mathematics teacher, Mr. Gouranga Sarkar, was harassed and handed over to the police by an enraged Tawhidi mob. The accusation against him was that he had said that when the call to prayer (Azan) is played loudly on loudspeakers at dawn, it disturbs many people’s sleep. The enraged Tawhidi mob was telling the police to send him to India. These are very deliberate social attacks, sending a message — don’t come into these professions, go to India if you can, this country is not yours. In Bangladesh, criticizing the process of Azan and still keeping your head on your shoulders is a matter of luck!

Sonu Nigam Controversy: Was the Protest Justified?

In April 2017, India’s popular singer Sonu Nigam tweeted that he was not a Muslim, yet his sleep was disturbed early in the morning by the sound of Azan. He questioned when this “forced religiousness” would end. After that, intense backlash began against him. A cleric in West Bengal announced a reward of 1 million rupees if someone shaved his head and garlanded him with shoes (I am writing this from memory; you may verify with news sources if you wish). Sonu eventually shaved his own head.

The Islamists’ protest was not justified, for three reasons.

1. Sonu did not call for banning Azan. His objection was against loudspeakers. Azan and microphones are not the same thing.
2. Threats of death or insulting reward announcements are not answers to arguments, they are intimidation. If there is a differing opinion, discussion is needed.
3. His core question later came up in court. The Allahabad High Court in India reportedly ruled in 2020 that while Azan is an essential part of Islam, broadcasting Azan through loudspeakers is not essential.

In other words, the question was about citizens’ rights and the environment, not religious hatred. This question is now even more urgent in the context of Bangladesh, and even in countries like America and Europe where Islam has secured the opportunity to broadcast Azan through loudspeakers in mosques.

Comparative Picture: How Much Time and Sound Different Religious Calls Use

The table below is an approximate picture based on general understanding and observation. I have not found any neutral, systematic survey comparing the sound levels of different religious calls in Bangladesh. So the numbers are to illustrate trends, not precise measurements.

The biggest difference here is not time, but volume and density. The sound of a conch or bell fades within a neighborhood. About 91% of Bangladesh’s population is Muslim, and the number of mosques is generally mentioned as around three hundred thousand (approximate). The country’s area is about 147,000 square kilometers, so on average there are about 2 mosques per square kilometer. In cities, especially Dhaka, this density is many times higher. As a result, not just 2–3 minutes from one mosque, but overlapping calls from multiple mosques for several minutes reach the ears. In some mosques, Quran recitation or announcements are broadcast before Azan, increasing the total time further.

Noise Pollution: What the Law Says, What Reality Is

According to Bangladesh’s Noise Pollution (Control) Rules, 2006, up to 50 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night are permitted in silent zones. Mosques, hospitals, and educational institutions are considered sensitive areas. But in reality, a study in Dhaka found that noise levels in all 70 surveyed areas exceeded permitted limits. A Stamford University study found that in 82% of observed locations, noise consistently exceeded 60 decibels. According to the Director General of the Health Directorate, Dhaka’s noise level is more than double the acceptable limit. agonising noise pollution poses serious health risk in dhaka study 1611497231 +3

One thing must be stated clearly: the majority of Dhaka’s noise pollution comes from vehicle horns, not Azan. But authorities themselves admit that uncontrolled loudspeakers at social and religious events also worsen the situation. The special issue with Azan is that it comes at the most sensitive times of the day — early morning sleep, before night sleep, and during afternoon rest — causing greater suffering and irritation for ordinary people. For children, patients, the elderly, and pregnant women, it can be distressing. For those whose homes are adjacent to mosque loudspeakers, their quality of life can become hellish. thedailystar

According to WHO guidelines, outside noise during sleep should ideally remain within 40 decibels. The sound from a nearby mosque’s loudspeaker at dawn can exceed this limit significantly, though I cannot provide a confirmed measured number for any specific mosque.

Mobile, Clock, Alarm: Is Loudspeaker Azan Still Necessary?

Critics argue that the traditional purpose of Azan was time awareness. In the Prophet Muhammad’s era, there were no clocks, mobile phones, or loudspeakers. Today a worshipper gets exact prayer times, Azan notifications, and Qibla direction on smartphone apps. The Islamic Foundation and various organizations publish daily schedules. If Azan is given inside the mosque without loudspeakers, nearby worshippers can hear it. Those farther away have apps or clocks.

Another argument is that religious calls cannot be mandatory listening for everyone. A person who does not pray is not obligated to hear any religious message, and someone of another religion or an atheist should have the right not to have their sleep disturbed. Critics consider this related to freedom of belief, because freedom of belief includes the “freedom not to hear any belief.”

Who Is Affected and How

Children: Children’s sleep and concentration are more sensitive to noise. Studies repeatedly show that prolonged exposure to noise can harm reading ability and attention. If a child’s sleep is disturbed at dawn, it naturally affects their concentration and mood the next day.

Elderly and sick people: The elderly already have light sleep. Sudden loud noise can increase anxiety and blood pressure in those with heart disease, hypertension, or mental health issues. For mosques near hospitals, the issue is even more sensitive.

Examinees: During SSC-HSC or university entrance exam periods, dawn and evening study times are most valuable. These are exactly the times filled with Azan. A report quoted a Dhaka resident saying that a month-long religious gathering near his home made it extremely difficult to study at night. thedailystar

General people: Noise pollution is associated with long-term sleep problems, fatigue, anxiety, and reduced concentration. Prolonged exposure to high noise levels reduces cognitive ability and causes sleep disruption and chronic fatigue. thedailystar

Debate in the West: Michigan and New York

This debate is not new in the United States. In the early 1980s, a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan received court approval to broadcast Azan through loudspeakers, despite objections from neighbors. This was America’s first such mosque. In 2023, New York City announced that mosques would no longer need special permission to broadcast Azan on Fridays and at sunset during Ramadan. Police stated they would ensure proper sound levels. Wikipediaabc17news

After this decision, opposition increased. In July 2026, the Lieutenant Governor of Indiana called for banning mosques from broadcasting Azan five times a day through loudspeakers. A caution is needed here. Part of this opposition is about noise and law, but another part considers it Islamophobia, which is their usual language. But those who only want noise control and those who oppose Muslims’ presence altogether should not be viewed as the same. Notably, New York’s permitted times are limited, not five times daily like Bangladesh. redstate

Final Words

The lesson from Sonu Nigam’s incident is that raising questions about noise is not the same as opposing religion. Threatening him was using fear instead of argument, which is unacceptable in any civilized society.

In Bangladesh, the issue is not simply being pro-Azan or anti-Azan. The question is why our own law (50/40 decibels) is not enforced in all cases, and how in a densely populated country we can balance religious freedom with the rights to sleep, study, and stay healthy. The most practical path is likely a middle one: controlled loudspeakers with decibel limits, strict rules near hospitals and schools, and the same rules for all religions and all types of sound. Law means law, which everyone must follow — how long will we keep falling behind by invoking feelings?