Staff Correspondent
More than 180 young people took to the streets of Dhaka on Sunday, demanding stronger lead regulations, effective enforcement of existing standards, and immediate action to protect millions of children from the devastating effects of lead poisoning.
Carrying placards and festoons calling for a lead-free future, the youth marched from the National Press Club to the Central Shaheed Minar via the High Court and Doel Chattar, joined by representatives from schools, colleges, universities, research institutions and government wings.
Organized by the Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP), and UNICEF Bangladesh, the rally marked the opening of the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (ILPPW) 2026 campaign in Bangladesh. The fourteenth global observance, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), runs from 18 to 24 October under the theme “From Detection to Prevention.”
The rally delivered an urgent message: lead poisoning may be invisible, but its consequences can last a lifetime. With an estimated 35.5 million children in Bangladesh having blood lead levels above 5 μg/dL, according to a UNICEF and Pure Earth report, the country faces one of the world's most serious childhood lead exposure burdens, the fourth-highest number of affected children globally.
Lead exposure can irreversibly damage the developing brain, lower IQ, impair learning, and contribute to behavioural difficulties. These consequences can undermine children's educational opportunities, long-term health, and future potential. Yet lead poisoning is preventable. Identifying exposure sources, strengthening surveillance, and eliminating lead from products and environments are essential to stopping further harm.
“Lead is invisible, but its damage to a child’s brain can be permanent. We cannot afford to wait until the harm becomes visible. We must test, identify the sources, and act before more children are exposed,” said Professor Dr. Shahriar Hossain, Senior Technical Advisor of ESDO. “Bangladesh already has a 90 ppm standard for lead in paint, and the new national strategy provides a clear direction. Now we need rigorous enforcement in the marketplace, stronger monitoring, and decisive implementation. A strategy must translate into real protection for every child.”
Rezaul Karim, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated, “This vibrant rally has captured public attention and sparked curiosity about how lead
affects our everyday lives. Lead poisoning is an invisible but devastating threat, and we must recognize it not as a minor challenge, but as a major national public health emergency demanding urgent action.”
Sabrina Rahman, Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, explained, “ We need to know the facts first. What are the major sources of lead pollution in Bangladesh? Where do we stand? And how do we tackle this emergency?It all comes down to awareness and rigorous advocacy”
Suhan Ahmed, Research Officer, Icddr, b, “ Lead poisoning is a serious but often invisible public health threat, putting children’s development and the well-being of entire communities at risk. It is not a minor concern, but a major public health emergency demanding urgent action.”
Lead exposure can originate from numerous sources, including mining, smelting, manufacturing, recycling, lead-acid batteries, consumer products, and contaminated drinking water. Lead may enter drinking water when it leaches from pipes and plumbing materials. Because exposure can occur through multiple pathways, participants emphasized that prevention must extend across the entire supply chain from production and importation to distribution, consumption, and waste management.
The WHO warns that no level of lead exposure is known to be without harmful effects. This makes early detection and source elimination critical, particularly for children, who absorb more lead than adults and are especially vulnerable to its toxic effects.
Throughout the march, young participants raised their voices through messages such as “7.54% of pregnant women have alarming levels of lead in their blood in Bangladesh,” “Produce lead-free products, follow the national standard,” and “Why is toxic lead chromate being imported to our country?” Their demands called on policymakers, manufacturers, businesses, and the public to recognize lead pollution as an urgent public health and accountability issue not a problem that can be postponed.
The rally comes at a critical moment for national action. The Cabinet has recently approved the draft National Strategy and Multi-Year Action Plan for a Lead-Free Bangladesh (2026–2035), an important step toward reducing lead exposure, protecting vulnerable populations, and controlling and ultimately eliminating lead pollution. The strategy sets targets for reducing children's blood lead levels by 50 percent from baseline levels by 2030 and by 95 percent by 2035. The baseline is reported as 38.34 percent according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) 2025.
Participants welcomed the government's move but stressed that approval alone will not deliver a lead-free Bangladesh. The strategy must be backed by adequate funding, clear institutional responsibilities, coordinated action across ministries, stronger enforcement of existing standards, systematic testing and monitoring, and regular public reporting on progress. Without these measures, children will continue to face preventable exposure despite the country's policy commitments.
The youth-led rally also sought to raise public and media awareness and build momentum for stronger laws, effective regulation, and accountability at every level. Participants called for lead to be eliminated from products and other exposure sources, with particular urgency given to protecting children and other vulnerable communities.