HELEMUL ALAM

The villages around Amin Bazar, once known for their lush green farmlands and fresh air, now stand as stark reminders of unchecked pollution, with locals facing serious health risks from a nearby landfill.

In 2007, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) set up a landfill in Baliarpur of Savar. Since then, Baliarpur, Konda, and Beraith villages in Bangaon union have been facing relentless pollution. The community that once thrived through farming is now grappling with the devastating impacts of water, air, and soil pollution.

According to a study carried out in 2022, leachate, a toxic liquid from decomposing waste, seeps into soil and groundwater, carrying heavy metals like arsenic, nickel, chromium, and lead. These contaminants are linked to cancer and other life-threatening diseases, experts say.

Mostafizur Rahman, a professor of environmental sciences at Jahangirnagar University, who co-led the study, said, “We found toxic metals like arsenic and nickel in both surface and groundwater near the landfill. The highest concentration of metals

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