Bt brinjal brings sorrow for farmers

The government gave permission for cultivating Bt brinjal in Bangladesh in October 2013. This GM crop is resistant to pests but after cultivating the Bt brinjal, the farmers faced huge loss as most of the plants wilted and died.

Chemical composition of the soil changes as this invasive plant requires different type of nutrients. Moreover, it is quite unfair to cultivate and market this veggie without diagnosing its impact on human health. Bt brinjal is resistant to pests; so would it be too foolish to imagine that there exists toxin in this brinjal which can cause harm to human health?

It is high time the government improved biosafety regulations and took public opinion before introducing any kind of new GM crops in the country.

Samshad Nowreen
Lecturer
Dept. of Tourism and Hospitality Management
University of Dhaka