Youth activists demand ban on leaded products amid rising health concerns

A group of young activists staged a protest in Dhaka today, urging the government to impose an immediate ban on leaded products to safeguard public health, particularly that of children.

The demonstrators marched from the Bangladesh National Museum to the mazar gate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, drawing attention to the dangers of lead exposure and the lack of comprehensive regulation.

The event was organised by the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO), in partnership with the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) and UNICEF Bangladesh, to mark International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW), observed from October 19 to 25, according to the ESDO press release.

This year's theme, "No Safe Level: Act Now to End Lead Exposure," underscores the urgency of the issue.

Lead poisoning remains a severe public health crisis in Bangladesh, with children being disproportionately affected. Even minimal exposure can cause irreversible damage to brain development, resulting in cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, and behavioural disorders.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that lead exposure contributes to approximately one million deaths globally each year, with children bearing the brunt of the impact, the press release added.

Bangladesh currently enforces a limit of 90 parts per million (ppm) of lead in household paints. However, there are no regulations governing industrial paints, leaving workers and the wider population vulnerable.