SOIL is not just dirt beneath our feet. It is the foundation of life. It feeds us, supports biodiversity and shapes human health. But in Bangladesh, this vital layer of earth is turning toxic. Few notice it, but the ground that grows our rice and vegetables is slowly poisoning us.
The Department of Environment鈥檚 2023 report reveals that 45 per cent of agricultural land in the country is polluted with heavy metals 鈥� lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium and nickel. These are found at levels three to eight times above what is safe for humans. The impact is twofold: shrinking crop yields and rising health problems. A 2021 World Bank study estimated that lead exposure alone causes IQ loss in 35,000 children every year in Bangladesh. This crisis is not abstract. It has sources, symptoms and solutions.