Tobacco-dust factory causes havoc

On the roadside in Gandhomaruya village in Durgapur union of Lalmonirhat's Aditmari upazila is the curious site of a tobacco dust factory. The illegal factory has been in operation for the last seven years, in the vicinity of a health clinic, a primary school and the village market, despite the pollution and public health ill-effects. For reasons unknown, no action has been taken by the administration to close the facility.

"I sell dusted tobacco to Pabna, Sirajganj, Bogra and Gaibandha," says the factory's owner Meherul Islam son of Afzal Hossain. He says the dusted tobacco is used to make the tobacco powder product called gul. "From around 80 maunds of tobacco leaves we produce up to 60 maunds of dust per day; and I provide daily employment for many locals."

"Our dust does not pollute the environment," Islam claims. His neighbours however, disagree.

"We can't stay long in our shops due to the bad smell of tobacco while the illegal dust factory is at work," says Abu Bakkar Siddique, a shopkeeper from the adjoining market. "We have made strong representations against the tobacco dust factory on several occasions but because its owner has a reputation as a local powerbroker, we didn't get any satisfactory outcome."

Class-five student of nearby Gandhomaruya Government Primary School, Keya Khatun, says she and her fellow schoolchildren must hold their noses while passing the factory on their way to and from school so as to protect themselves from the wretched smell. "We have complained about this problem to our teachers but they have been unable to take any action."

Acting headmaster of the school, Belal Hossain, says he has personally requested the factory's owner to cease the activity due to the pollution it causes to the surrounding area and the suffering locals, and especially the schoolchildren, face. "But there was no response," he says.

Meanwhile expectant mother Taslim Begum, 25, says she requires regular checkups from the community clinic near the factory. "But I can't stay here for long," she says, "due to the bad tobacco smell. If I stay for too long I really suffer."

Head of the clinic Rokonuzzaman Chanchol agrees that the centre's patients suffer due to the factory. "The entire area is dusty," he says, "Tobacco dust is sprayed everywhere while the factory is in operation." He says he has already informed health authorities about the hazard.

When asked if he took permission for the factory, Islam says he didn't take any permission from either the local administration or the department of environment because "no permission is required."

Rangpur division's deputy director from the environment department, Md Aktaruzzaman says he was unaware of this illegal tobacco dust factory, but now that he has been informed he will take necessary action to protect the local environment. Tobacco dust is a very harmful pollutant, he adds.