Rezwan Raja, Fultala (Khulna) 

 An industrial hub or a toxic zone? Residents of Shiromani in Khulna's BSCIC Industrial City are asking this question as heavy metal pollution once again engulfs their neighborhoods, educational institutions, and healthcare centers.

Despite being sealed off by a magistrate in 2025, Mersas Alhaj Moktar Metal—a subsidiary of Hamco Company—has secretly resumed its illegal lead smelting operations. Taking advantage of public holidays on Fridays and Saturdays, the facility runs 24-hour operations without administrative oversight, casting a thick cloud of toxic smoke and noxious fumes over several kilometers.

The environmental fallout directly threatens nearby residential areas and key institutions, including Khulna District Police Lines, RMDP (APBN), Khanjahan Ali Adarsh College, Gilatola Secondary School, Cantonment School and College, and Bangladesh Army University. Over 15,000 residents in the KDA residential area are facing severe long-term health risks.

We are fed up with the smoke and stench from Hamco and Moktar Metal. Even with windows and doors locked, the fumes penetrate our homes," said a frustrated local resident. "We live in constant fear for our children’s health. 

Lead is a non-degradable, highly toxic heavy metal. Prolonged exposure causes severe physiological damage, particularly in children and the elderly, leading to neurological disorders, respiratory distress, and long-term organ toxicity.

Despite repeated complaints, regulatory oversight remains virtually non-existent. Frustrated citizens are calling for an immediate, coordinated investigation by BSCIC authorities, the Department of Environment (DoE), and local administration to permanently shut down the illegal operations before more lives are endangered.