Authorities shut an illegal lead smelting plant in Chuadanga, fining its manager and seizing equipment, as experts warn of severe health risks from widespread informal battery recycling.
Authorities in western Bangladesh shut down an illegal lead smelting factory on Tuesday, citing severe risks to public health and the environment.
The mobile court operation took place in Jibannagar upazila under Chuadanga district, led by Executive Magistrate Sagar De.
The factory manager, Abdur Rahman, was fined Tk 50,000 on the spot for violating the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (amended 2010).
Officials said the facility had been illegally extracting lead from used batteries for an extended period without environmental clearance. The process releases toxic fumes and hazardous waste, posing serious health risks to nearby communities and contaminating soil, air and water.
During the drive, authorities seized large quantities of used batteries and smelting equipment. The factory was shut down immediately and the confiscated materials were placed under local supervision.
The operation was carried out with support from the Department of Environment and local law enforcement agencies.
Naresh Chandra Biswas, Assistant Director of the Department of Environment, said informal lead recycling is highly dangerous and unacceptable.
“Such activities pose a serious threat to both human health and the environment. Enforcement drives like this will continue,” he said.
Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, emphasized the broader implications of lead pollution.
“Lead pollution is a silent crisis in Bangladesh. Informal battery recycling exposes workers, children and entire communities to irreversible health damage. We need stricter enforcement, safer recycling systems and urgent policy attention to protect vulnerable populations,” he said.
Bangladesh is among the world’s top four most lead-contaminated countries, underscoring the scale of the crisis. According to The Toxic Truth Report (2020) by Pure Earth and UNICEF, approximately 36 million children in Bangladesh, around 60 percent of the country’s child population, are affected by lead poisoning. Exposure to lead can cause irreversible neurological damage, particularly in children, and contributes to long-term environmental and economic harm.
