Bangladesh u one of the least industrialised countries. yet environmental pollution Is already a problem here. The environment la being polluted because of unplanned growth of industries tn some location — without proper effluent treatment foctlltlea

Surverys reveal the presence of pollutant chemicals tn heavy concentrations in water and soil tn several areas. The degree of environmental degradation due to Industrial polhilauon. however, has not yet reached an alarming stage

Experts suggest a planned and cautious move towards Indus trlaltxat Ion so that economic growth can be achieved without affecting the ecological

The main polluting industries tn Bangladesh are tanneries. pulp and paper mills, fer ttltzer factories, distilleries and sugar and chemical units. Ammonia, chromium and other harmful substances from fertilizer factories and tanneries. mercury from chloralkali units, phenols from pulp and paper mills refineries and plastic, pharmaceutical and paint Industries are the major chemical pollutants In the country.

The urea factories discharge ammoniacal effluent which can be toxic even to the hardy species of fishes, If the concentration of ammonia or ammonium base is high. Concentration of ammonia in the total effluents from a urea factor would be as high as 100 to 400 ppm. experts say

All the urea factories tn the country are located on the river bank. A Bangladesh

University of Engineering gnd Technology (BUET) survey reveals that concentration of ammonia in river water close to the effluent discharge points Is 30 ppm and It to higher during the dry season and during equipment breakdown. Only Chittagong Urea factory controls ammonia by steam stripping.

The use of chemical fertll toer itself can affect soil properties and organisms living in water. Dr. Syed Shaftullah. Professor of Chemistry. Jahangimagar University, says in hts study that fertiliser worth taka SOO crore to wasted annually as it gets mixed with rain water tn farmland and Is drained Into rivers. canals and 'lakes causing harm to the organisms which are an integral part of the eco-systems. Excessive quantities of chemical fertilizers can destroy the micronutrients which help retain the natural fertility of land, he observes.

The major Industrial locations tn Bangladesh are concentrated tn three metropolitan areas — Dhaka. Chittagong and Khulna In Dhaka, the industrial units are scattered In Tcjgaon. Hazarubagh, Demra arid Joydevpur. The tanneries Iocate4 tn liazaribagh area of Dhaka city pose a serious threat to public health. Chromium waste from the tanneries Is discharged in to the Buriganga. Hexavalent chromium is cancerous, the threshold limit Is 0.1 ppm. The maximum concentrations of chromium, zinc and lead near the effluent discharge points in the Buriganga are about six micrograms per litre, according to as study.

Considering the adverse effects of wastes from the tan ncries on the environment, the government planned to shift the 200 tanneries from the capital city. The Aston Development Bank (ADB) agreed to provide assistance to the project. But the project has been shelved.

Mr. Abu Taleb Khandker. Deputy Director. Department of Environment (DOR. admitted that the level of chromium concentration at Hazarlbagh

outfall was rising an it could pollute ground water through seepage and thus cause a dangerous health hazard. Water pollution by chromium was more evident during the dry season he said.

Mercury losses from hloral-kall and phenols from the chemical industries can also be toxic. Colour and foam are causes of concern primarily because those are visible (Omar. Ikhtyar). The source of these two types of aesthetic pollutants is the pulp mills. Colour may be a greater problem when the diffusion factor of the receiving waler is low and light penetration Is re-"AbJTrakh^lEIZ^

sold that the DOE did not have

pollution In the country. The DOE borrowed an equipment from India recently and find that the degree of air pollution tn the x untry was not alarming. Toxic chemicals like mercaptans, chlorine and bust from lime kilns emitted by pulp and paper mills large amounts of carbon dioxide re-

health hazard°*ThcfT5I^,|ertll-tzer plants emit large quantities of dust and similar to the case with the jute mills. This feme and skin *and eye dis

Air pollution caused by emissions of motor vehicles are also posing threats to health and environment In the main cities and towns including Dhaka city

chemical industries may also pooe threats. A case in point is Chittagong TSP complex which faces a serious problem In dumping the huge quantities of Qrpsum generated by it as a reaction product.

Some small-scale enterprises like metal working machine tools, tanning, dying, etc. are no less responsible environmental degradation By dumping wastes In the neigh borhoods they cause focal level pollution of the environment.

The DOE identified 903 In dustrial units of 13 categories as pollutant industries in 1906. But effective measures to stop them from polluting the environment could not betaken yet. The DOE filed cases against some of those indus-

tries but with tittle effect so far.

Dr. Haroun Er Rashid. Senior Resident Adviser (NC8) said strong feglslst'^ support to needed to implement measures for protection of the environment. He said the Industrial projects passed through the planning commission need certificate from the DOE but those projects which are not placed oefore the commission are not needed to have any such certificate; as a result, such projects give little thought to the environmental issues.

The DOE drafted a law a few temenL0B^t^hTd^ft Sull under review of the relevant

There to no alternative to industrialisation if are want to achieve economic growth. Though environment and de vetopment seem to contradict each other, a compromise between the two to possible BE-s5-'

The agricultural sector to still the major contributor to the ODP. But this sector cannot absorb the ever Increasing labour force. New technology is the situation to growing complex day by day and one has to keep in mind the envtronmen-

lation could ensure healthy growth of the economy. The DOE will have to be strengthed so that it can monitor the environment and suggest and