Tobacco cultivation: 30,000 northern families at health risk

Widespread cultivation of tobacco leaf in northern Bangladesh has raised concerns about occupational health hazards.

According to Department of Agricultural Extension, around  30,000 families in Rangpur region are cultivating tobacco on 13,349 hectares of land. Children contribute significantly to the tobacco farming workforce in these low income families of the north.

According to various studies including, "Paul, A., Sultana, N.N., Nazir, N. et al. Self-reported health problems of tobacco farmers in south-eastern Bangladesh. J Public Health (Berl.) 29, 595–604 (2021)," farmers' self-reported tobacco-related sicknesses were nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, weakness, cough, dyspnoea and hypersalivation.

Pesticides used in tobacco cultivation can cause skin and eye irritation, nerve damage, and respiratory symptoms. Dermal absorption of nicotine from contact with wet tobacco leaves can cause green tobacco sickness. GTS is an occupational poisoning that occurs when workers absorb nicotine through the skin as they come into contact with leaves of the mature tobacco plant. GTS is characterised largely by nausea, vomiting, headache, muscle weakness, and dizziness.

Sheuli Akhter, a fourth-grader, works at her father Nazar Ali's tobacco plantation Bhelabari village under Aditmari upazila.

"I don't like working there. I often get sick. But my father insists. Sometimes, I have to skip school to work," she said.

"Sometimes, my head feels like it's going to explode, and my stomach feels like it's churning.  Baba [father] says we need the money.  I wouldn't mind so much if it was just me, but seeing Ammu [mother] cough all the time...  I wish there was another way,"  Sheuli said. "But we are poor. So we keep working, hoping we won't get too sick," she added.

Shariful Islam, 13, a seventh-grade student from Bhadai village in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat, said, "I can't stand the smell of tobacco, but I still have to work, specially during harvesting, drying, and binding of tobacco leaves, which requires round-the-clock effort." "Harevested tobacco is then stored in my bedroom. I can't even sleep at night."

Nur Jahan Akhter, 15, Surovi Akhter, 11, and at least a dozen of children these correspondent talked to echoed Sheuli and Shariful.

Farmers engage children and elderly members to cut costs and maximise profit.

Ajit Chandra Mohanta, 44, a farmer from Rangpur Sadar upazila, said, "This year, I expanded tobacco cultivation with family help. However, my sons often fall ill while working."

Saher Ali, 50, from Lalmonirhat said, "My family assists me in the field, but the elders and children often get sick, particularly during March-April."

Aklima Begum, 30, said, "Despite good earnings, we endure physical sufferings. Nausea, irritation in the eyes and skin, vomiting, breathing difficulties are some of the common side effects."

Dr Azmal Haque, a paediatrician at Aditmari Upazila Health Complex, said, "Children experience headaches, vomiting, and mental health related issues due to tobacco cultivation. This affects their studies. Adults mostly face respiratory problems."

 President of the Lalmonirhat District Child Network Tah Hiatul Habib Mridul, said children are often compelled to work in tobacco fields. He mentioned that farmers, enticed by tobacco companies, engage their children in hazardous tasks. He expressed concern over witnessing children working in tobacco fields and emphasized the necessity of raising farmers' awareness to protect children from such perilous labor.

Omar Faruk, upazila agriculture officer, criticised the farmers' in this regard. "Profit blinds them, they ignore our advice and cultivate tobacco despite the health risks."

Obaidur Rahman Mandal, additional director of DAE in Rangpur Region, said, "Forcing farmers to stop is not feasible, but we conduct awareness campaigns to reduce cultivation."

"We are trying to reduce tobacco cultivation by making farmers aware. Tobacco cultivation is very harmful to soil, environment and human health, and is also having an adverse effect on food production," he added.

There are offices and warehouses for six tobacco companies in Lalmonirhat, and their representatives are in direct contact with the farmers to help them with tobacco cultivation.

But none of them agreed to comment on the health risks when approached by this correspondent.