The government of Bangladesh has ordered a 6-month phase-out of a deadly pesticide, which has been linked to hundreds of deaths every year.
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New imports, registrations and licence renewals for the pesticide have been stopped, while existing stock must be used up within six months.
The move follows the publication of a study earlier this year, led by CPSP collaborator Dr Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, which shows a significant increase in self-poisoning cases and deaths from this pesticide.
The study also emphasises the extreme toxicity of the pesticide, with 40% of poisoning cases resulting in death. This is far higher than the fatality rate associated with other pesticide poisonings in Bangladesh.
The pesticide, paraquat, has already been banned in over 70 countries worldwide, due to its impact on public health. There is no known antidote, placing vulnerable farming communities who have access to it at risk of harm.
Responding to the announcement, Professor Michael Eddleston, Director of the Centre for Pesticide Suicide Prevention, said:
“Congratulations to the Government of Bangladesh for taking this important and crucial decision. Over the past decade, Bangladesh has seen a significant rise in deaths from paraquat, developing an urgent need for action. The Government’s response is exactly what was needed and will no doubt save hundreds of lives every year.
“I would also like to congratulate Dr Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury and colleagues at the Toxicology Society of Bangladesh, whose research supported this decision. This is a fantastic example of evidence-based action, which we hope to see replicated in other countries across the globe.”
Dr Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Bangladesh Medical University, said:
“I warmly welcome this timely and courageous decision by the Government of Bangladesh and extend my sincere congratulations to the Ministry of Agriculture for its leadership. The ban on paraquat represents a major public health achievement that will undoubtedly save hundreds of lives in the years ahead while protecting farmers, their families, and the wider community from unnecessary harm.
“I trust that the Government will ensure rigorous oversight during the next six months so that the phase-out process is completed on schedule and all remaining stocks of paraquat are fully withdrawn.”
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