Tobacco factory workers exposed to lung disease in Kurigram


KURIGRAM, Nov 12: The unhygienic condition of the tobacco factories in the northern districts has become a main cause of various diseases, including tuberculosis, asthma and ulcer, for the workers, reports UNB.

 

A number of the infected workers became paralysed and have been fighting with deaths.

Official sources said there were over 100-tobacco industries in 16 northern districts, including two in Kurigram.

Besides, 200 other factories, running as cottage industries, are marketing bidi and cigarettes in the market violating the Factory Act.

Factory sources said over one-lakh workers, half of them women and children, are engaged in these factories.

Concerned sources said following the intake of maleficent elements of tobacco with breathing about 30,000 workers afflicted with different diseases, including lung diseases.

According to Factory Act, health check-up once in every three months is a mandatory in the factories having more than 10 workers. But most of the factories do not follow the act.

According to Sections 11 and 19 of the Act, the chief inspector of the concerned department could form a medical team for medical check-up of the workers and could force the owners to do that.


Source: The Daily Star, November 13, 2000