Dr Mahfuzar Rahman

Bangladesh is in the midst of mass poisoning. According to the Institute of Health Metrics Evaluation (IHME), currently, around 60 percent of all children in Bangladesh have blood lead poisoning. Their average blood lead label is more than 5 micrograms per decilitre. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), lead is a toxin even at very low concentrations and there is no “safe” level of lead exposure, particularly for children. Blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per decilitre are considered alarming, and a cause of urgent action. More than 10 million children in Bangladesh are severely poisoned by lead.