Salim Moshiur, Cumilla ( South)

In the southern part of Cumilla, factories producing sweet food made with toxic chemicals and dirty environment have been set up in various places in the greater Laksam upazila.

These factories are producing various brands of sweets, yogurt, rasmalai and ice cream with dirty environment and toxic chemicals. Even with mobile courts, the production of those illegal sweet food cannot be stopped. There are many questions in the minds of the people of the area about the responsibility and role of the local administration. Especially in Laksam Daulatganj market, there is no supervision for some mysterious reason even though sweet factories are being set up everywhere.

According to several local sources, several sweet food manufacturing shops or showrooms and factories set up in various markets and markets of the upazilas in the southern part of the district do not have any legal documents.

There is no certification from the Environment, BSTI, Ministry of Labor, Health Department and other relevant departments. However, these illegal factories are constantly producing various kinds of adulterated sweets with dirty environment and toxic chemicals. Those traders are selling and smuggling their adulterated products by copying the wrappers, boxes and packets of Comilla, the country's famous and expensive sweet food companies, and are embezzling lakhs of taka. They now own many properties in different areas of the city. Especially the farm owners in this area are raising cows in their unhygienic environment. After 2/3 days, the milk of those cows is mixed with various chemicals like formalin and chicks are being supplied to sweet food shops by making chicks with frozen milk.

The source also said that during the anti-adulteration campaign last year, formalin was found in the foods of several sweet factories at a level of 2.67. Which is the highest level of health risk. To make these sweet adulterated foods, the water tanks of the factories contain algae, arsenic, an unclean environment, dust and sand, saccharin instead of sugar, toxic chemical powder instead of milk, white granulated husk instead of coconut, flour, methanol, soda, ammonia, formalin and other toxic chemicals are used. On the other hand, there are no experienced chemists or skilled technicians in any sweet food factory. There are no water treatment plants, testing equipment and sewage lines or arsenic-free laboratories.

The number of child laborers in these factories is high, which is against the labor law. The owners do not provide them with any training or tested equipment. In addition, these institutions do not have any scientific knowledge about the use and application of chemicals. On the other hand, in the last few days, Laksam Upazila and Municipality Administrator, BSTI, Consumer Rights and other organizations have been raiding various shops in Laksam and imposing fines, but those traders are continuing their illegal business ignoring various provisions of the law.

On the other hand, according to a survey by several private investment institutions, about 98 percent of the tubewells in the region contain arsenic and 56 percent contain feces. So far, 5,500 and a half patients have been identified in Laksam, about 4,000 in Manoharganj, 3,500 in Nangalkot, 3,200 in Sadar Dakshin, and about 3,800 in Barura Upazila.

According to them, about 250 villages in 5 upazilas in the southern part of the district are affected by arsenic, but about 117 villages in 5 upazilas are at serious health risk.

Still, the health risk is increasing day by day due to eating adulterated and low-quality food. Despite repeated attempts to contact the district and upazila administration and related department officials on multiple mobile phones, no statement could be obtained from them.