Bangladesh is racing to complete a national plan to curb toxic lead exposure after new data revealed that more than 36 million children face dangerous contamination, making the country one of the world’s worst hotspots, officials said Wednesday.
Nearly four in 10 Bangladeshi children have elevated blood lead levels, according to fresh government and UN data, a crisis public-health experts describe as a “silent national emergency”. Bangladesh now ranks fourth globally for the number of children affected.
A draft National Lead Pollution Prevention Strategy was reviewed on Tuesday at a meeting of the multisectoral steering committee at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), where ministries were instructed to submit immediate action plans to speed up approval.
Lead exposure has become a critical concern for children, informal-sector workers and residents of industrial zones, officials said. The government aims to coordinate a nationwide push to cut exposure, improve public-health protections and tighten environmental and occupational standards.
The draft strategy identifies lead-based paint, informal recycling of used lead-acid batteries, toxic aluminium cookware, adulterated spices, industrial emissions and children’s toys as major sources. The rapid spread of battery-powered vehicles, especially e-rickshaws, has sharply driven up hazardous waste, emerging as one of the most urgent threats.
Environment Secretary Farhina Ahmed, who chaired the meeting, said the strategy would be a “milestone toward a safer, healthier and more sustainable Bangladesh”.
“We are working closely with NGOs, communities and industry to ensure strict enforcement and promote safer practices,” she said.
Senior officials including Additional Secretary Fahmida Khanom, Department of Environment Director General Md Kamruzzaman and pollution-control focal point Sabrina Rahman attended the meeting.
Public-health experts warn that the effects of lead poisoning, reduced IQ, developmental delays, organ damage, chronic illness and increased risk of heart disease , are irreversible. Lead exposure among pregnant women can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and severe long-term health complications for newborns.
The World Bank estimates that lead pollution costs Bangladesh $28.6 billion annually, the equivalent of 6–9 percent of GDP.
Fresh data released by UNICEF, Pure Earth Bangladesh and preliminary findings from the BBS–UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2025 show the crisis deepening. Some 38 percent of children aged 12 to 59 months have blood lead levels above the safe limit, while nearly eight percent of pregnant women are also exposed. Dhaka is the worst-affected region, with more than 65 percent of surveyed sites showing high contamination; children aged two to four in the capital have recorded some of the country’s highest concentrations.
“Toxic lead has infiltrated our soil, water, food and bodies,” said Mitali Das, Country Director of Pure Earth Bangladesh. “We are supporting remediation efforts and pushing for stricter regulations.”
YouthNet Global, a leading youth-led environmental group, welcomed the strategy but warned that real progress will depend on enforcement, monitoring and long-term political will.
“Bangladesh’s children are among the most exposed in the world,” said Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global. “A coordinated national plan could mark a turning point if implemented with seriousness. Today’s environmental failures must not become tomorrow’s burden for children who had no role in creating this crisis.”
Rahman also urged the government to ensure a “just transition”, noting that many informal workers in battery recycling and scrap metal depend on hazardous jobs for survival.
“People must not be forced to choose between earning a livelihood and risking their health,” he said. “Protecting vulnerable workers and safeguarding future generations are both essential for real, lasting change.”
