A new study has revealed a significant rise in self-poisoning cases – and related deaths – from a highly toxic pesticide in Bangladesh.
*Warning: This article discusses means of self-harm and suicide. If you have questions on self-harm or feel suicidal, use this link to find an international helpline – www.findahelpline.com*.
An upward trend in pesticide poisoning
Researchers collected data from ten hospitals across the country, observing a consistent increase in self-poisoning cases involving paraquat, a highly lethal pesticide, over the past decade.
While only one case of self-poisoning was reported in 2013, the number had risen to 493 cases by 2024. The hospitals included in the study serve more than 65% of Bangladesh’s population, suggesting the findings provide a strong indication of national trends.
More than 40% of paraquat poisoning cases resulted in death, far higher than the fatality rate associated with other pesticide poisonings in Bangladesh, emphasising the extreme toxicity of paraquat.
Bangladesh’s history of pesticide bans
Pesticide self-poisoning long been a major public health problem in Bangladesh, killing thousands of people every year.
Around 25 years ago, the Bangladesh government started to introduce laws to control the use of pesticides. During the 1990s and 2000s, 21 highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) were partially or completely banned. This resulted in a substantial decline in the pesticide suicide rate, which fell by 65% between 1996 and 2014. These bans had no apparent impact on agricultural output.
Despite this progress, some lethal pesticides – including paraquat – remain legally available for sale and use in Bangladesh.
Urgent need for action
Lead author of the study, Dr Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Bangladesh Medical University, said:
“Paraquat poisoning is emerging as a serious toxicological problem in Bangladesh. Our study shows a worrying rise in the number of people self-poisoning with this deadly pesticide, for which there is no antidote. It is estimated that paraquat self-poisoning causes at least 200 deaths annually in Bangladesh.
“The fatality rate from paraquat poisoning is far higher than that of poisoning from other pesticides in Bangladesh. More than 74 countries already banned paraquat. There is therefore an urgent need to ban paraquat and replace it with safer, less toxic alternatives to prevent further loss of life.”
The study is published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Further reading
PUBLICATION: Paraquat at 63—the story of a controversial herbicide and its regulations (external link)
BLOG: From dialogue to action: how an Indian state banned a deadly pesticide
NEWS: Deadly pesticide’s ‘safety measure’ does not prevent deaths, a breakthrough study shows
NEWS: Deadly pesticide can be replaced by safer alternatives, new study shows