Beside the all-weather road of Kishoreganj haor that connects Austagram, Mithamoin and Itna, kites flew over a body of water – a remnant of the vast waters that had recently receded. From time to time they dove, snatching something from the surface of the water.

Fish, we guessed it. But something was wrong: why were so many fish floating? Curious, we got closer and discovered the disturbing truth: small fish were indeed floating lifeless on the water.

The scene became more eerie as we spotted dead frogs and crabs scattered near the water’s edge. Suddenly, a buffalo that was grazing nearby broke free and waded into the water. Alarmed, the cowherd rushed over and pulled him out as quickly as he could.

When we asked him what had happened, he said the fishermen had applied “medication” to the pond three days earlier, making the water toxic to the animals.

What type of medicine takes lives instead of saving them? It turns out that locals often refer to agrochemicals like herbicides and pesticides as “medicines” rather than what they really are: poison. Fishermen have adopted these chemicals as a method of fishing, where poisoning the water causes fish to die and float, making the process quick and effortless.

The practice, known as poison fishing, was once restricted to remote areas, such as the canals of the Sundarbans. However, it has now spread across the country. A previous TBS article even highlighted its prevalence in the Padma River.

Although they are very harmful to human health and local biodiversity, these poisons are easily available in agricultural supply stores. Suppliers say they cannot prevent the misuse of these products since they are essential to agriculture.

Although Bangladesh’s Fish Protection and Conservation Act prohibits killing fish by poisoning water, the country’s policies have proven ineffective in curbing the importation and misuse of these substances. Some of these agrochemicals, containing active ingredients like lambda-cyhalothrin and glyphosate (we do not disclose specific brand names), are banned in many countries and regions, including the EU.

Authorities and agricultural suppliers suggest that environmentally friendly biopesticides are now available on the market, designed exclusively for their intended uses. However, their adoption remains limited in the face of widespread misuse of conventional agrochemicals.

I can’t stop the abuse

From local agrochemical sellers to government officials, everyone emphasizes that since farmers need herbicides and pesticides to grow their crops, no one can prevent their purchases.

“We cannot know exactly what the buyer will use the chemicals for,” said Mintu, a local seller in Bandarban. He understands that their use for fishing is harmful to human health and the environment.

An official from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), on condition of anonymity, agreed with Mintu. “People ingest pesticides to commit suicide. Can we stop using pesticides for this reason?” he said.

The DAE, if deemed necessary, sends 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 conducts tests on the listed products with two to four times the prescribed dose and submits the laboratory report on this basis.

“These tests only assess the potentially harmful effects of surface runoff after rain, which could pollute water bodies with agrochemical residues – nothing more,” 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 officially classifies glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen,” making it dangerous 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 related to one of its herbicides, Roundup, a herbicide made from glyphosate, according to a Human Rights Watch report titled “The United States should ban” Use of glyphosate on food crops.

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

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

Organic herbicides and pesticides

In the Mintu store in Bandarban, we saw pesticides of biological origin. The seller said these products were eco-friendly and only targeted specific insects, leaving out the beneficiary insects. Russell IPM Bangladesh and ACI market these pesticides.

Mintu said biopesticides are relatively new to the market and there is a lack of training among local agricultural extension officials, who usually provide information and advice to farmers.

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

So why can’t we replace toxic agrochemicals with biopesticides?

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

The DAE official, in another phone call, echoed Rakib in mentioning Sri Lanka, but said the department was encouraging farmers to increase the use of biopesticides. He said new bioherbicides and biopesticides are in the works, awaiting approval.

After taking office, the advisor on fisheries and livestock to the caretaker government, Farida Akhter, told the media that her ministry would soon start working on the prevention of poisoned fishing. We called and texted her several times to find out the measurements, but she did not respond.