How widely banned agrochemicals are used for poison fishing in Bangladesh

Beside the all-season road in the Kishoreganj haor which connects Austagram, Mithamoin, and Itna, kites soared over a water body — a remnant of the vast waters that had recently receded. Every so often, they dove, snatching something from the water's surface.

Fish, we guessed. But something felt off — why were so many fish floating? Curious, we moved closer and discovered the unsettling truth: small fish were indeed floating lifelessly on the water.

The scene grew more disturbing as we spotted dead frogs and crabs scattered near the water's edge. Suddenly, a buffalo grazing nearby broke free and waded into the water. Alarmed, the cowhand hurried over, pulling it out as quickly as he could.

When we asked him what had happened, he said fishermen had applied "medicine" in the pond three days earlier, rendering the water toxic for animals.

What kind of medicine takes lives instead of saving them? It turns out that locals often refer to agrochemicals like herbicides and pesticides as "medicine" rather than what they truly are — poison. Fishers have adopted these chemicals as a method for fishing, where poisoning the water causes fish to die and float, making the process quick and effortless.

This practice, known as poison fishing, was once confined to remote areas, such as the canals of the Sundarbans. However, it has now spread nationwide. A previous TBS feature even highlighted its prevalence in the Padma River.

Despite being highly detrimental to both human health and the local biodiversity, these poisons are easily accessible at agricultural supply stores. Suppliers claim they cannot stop the misuse of these products since they are essential for agriculture.

Although the Protection and Conservation of Fish Act of Bangladesh prohibits killing fish by poisoning the water, the country's policies have been ineffective in curbing the import and misuse of these substances. Some of these agrochemicals, containing active ingredients like lambda-cyhalothrin and glyphosate (we are withholding specific brand names), are banned in many countries and regions, including the EU.

Officials and agricultural suppliers suggest that eco-friendly biopesticides are now available in the market, designed exclusively for their intended purposes. However, their adoption remains limited in the face of widespread misuse of conventional agrochemicals. 

Cannot stop the abuse

From local agrochemical sellers to government officials, everyone stresses that since farmers need herbicides and pesticides for growing crops, no one can prevent purchases. 

"We cannot know what exactly the buyer will use the chemicals for," said Mintu, a local seller from Bandarban. He understands that using these for fishing is harmful to human health and the environment.

An official from the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), on condition of anonymity, agreed with Mintu. "Pesticides are ingested by people to commit suicide. Can we stop using pesticides for that reason?" he said.

DAE, if it deems necessary, sends the samples of newly imported or introduced agrochemicals to the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) to determine their impact on fisheries.

Dr Anuradha Bhadra, director general of BFRI, told TBS that the institute runs tests on the referred products with two to four times the prescribed dosage and gives the lab report based on that.

"These tests only assess the potentially harmful effects of surface runoff after rainfall, which could pollute water bodies with agrochemical residues — nothing beyond that," she explained. She further noted that even approved products could kill fish if used in excessive doses.

Banned in many countries

The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer formally classifies glyphosate as a "probable carcinogen", making it hazardous for humans as well. 

In 2020, German chemical company Bayer agreed to pay up to $10.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of cancer claims linked to one of its herbicides, Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, said a Human Rights Watch report titled 'The United States Should Ban Use of Glyphosate on Food Crops.'

Glyphosate has been banned or is set to be banned in at least 10 jurisdictions, including Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam, while at least 15 other countries have imposed restrictions on its use, according to the report.

A source from the DAE mentioned that glyphosate will be gradually phased out in Bangladesh by 2026. However, there has been no discussion about banning or restricting lambda-cyhalothrin, which has been outright banned in the EU since 2020. Several other countries, including Canada, have also prohibited specific uses of this ingredient.

Organic herbicides and pesticides

In Mintu's store in Bandarban, we saw some bio-based pesticides. The seller said these are environment-friendly, and target only specific insects, leaving out the beneficiary ones. Russel IPM Bangladesh and ACI have been marketing these pesticides.

Mintu said biopesticides are relatively new in the market, and there is a shortage of training among the local agriculture extension officials who usually provide the farmers with information and advice.

Rakibul Hasan, an agriculturist working with a pesticide company, said organic pesticides and pheromone traps work against harmful pests only. DAE officials also confirmed that biopesticides and bioherbicides cannot be used to destroy fisheries.

Then why can we not replace toxic agrochemicals with biopesticides? 

Rakib said the integrated pest management regime advocates the use of both in a controlled manner. Mentioning the case of Sri Lanka, he said abandoning chemical pesticides suddenly would not be wise.

The DAE official, while speaking on a separate phone call, echoed Rakib mentioning Sri Lanka, but said that the department is encouraging the farmers to increase the use of biopesticides. He said new bioherbicides and biopesticides are in the pipeline, awaiting approval.

After taking office, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser to the interim government, Farida Akhter, told the media that her ministry would soon start working on preventing poison fishing. We called and texted her multiple times to know about the measures, but she did not respond.