Authorities shut an illegal lead-acid battery recycling factory in Mymensingh, fining operators and sealing the site as Bangladesh intensifies action against toxic pollution threatening public health and environmental justice nationwide.
Authorities in Bangladesh have shut down an illegal lead-acid battery recycling factory in Mymensingh following a joint enforcement drive, highlighting growing concern over the country’s escalating lead pollution crisis.
The mobile court operation was conducted on Tuesday, December 30, in the Anandipur area of Sirta Union under Mymensingh Sadar Upazila. The drive was led by Syeda Tamanna Huraira, Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate of Mymensingh Sadar, under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, amended in 2010.
During the operation, the factory operating under the name Mondol Corporation was found guilty of producing hazardous waste in violation of Section 6(c) of the Act. The mobile court imposed a fine of Tk 100,000, approximately USD 900, which was realised on the spot and ordered the immediate closure of all factory operations.
Md Rukun Mia, Inspector of the Department of Environment, Mymensingh District Office, acted as prosecutor during the proceedings. Police from Mymensingh Sadar provided logistical and security support to ensure the smooth conduct of the operation.
Bangladesh is facing a severe lead pollution crisis, largely driven by unregulated battery recycling, informal smelting operations and weak regulatory oversight in industrial and peri-urban areas. Environmental and public health experts warn that lead exposure can cause irreversible neurological damage, particularly among children and increases the risk of chronic illness for workers and nearby residents.
Civil society and youth groups have long warned that illegal lead-acid battery recycling sites operate close to homes, schools and agricultural land, contaminating air, soil and water. Such pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities, raising serious environmental justice concerns.
Commenting on the action, Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, said, “Illegal lead-acid battery recycling factories are silent killers. They poison our air, soil and water while putting the lives of children and workers at grave risk. Enforcement must be consistent and paired with a just transition that supports safer, regulated livelihoods.”
Officials said similar enforcement drives will continue nationwide in the public interest as authorities seek to curb environmental crimes, strengthen regulatory compliance and protect public health amid rising concerns over toxic pollution in Bangladesh.
