Pesticide poisoning: what to do in the first 30 minutes
Spraying accidents happen on every farm. Quick, correct first aid and a fast trip to hospital save lives. What to do, what never to do, and how to keep poison out of reach.
Farmer wellbeing in Bangladesh — safety, health, allowances and support
Staying safe in the field, who to call in an emergency, how to get government allowances, and looking after your mind in hard times, for farm families in one place.
243
Lightning deaths in 2025, most of them farmersDDM via Mongabay
212
Deaths from paraquat weedkiller poisoning in 202410-hospital study, Prothom Alo
24 hours
Free doctor and mental-health advice on 16263Shastho Batayon
65 / 62 years
Old-age allowance age: men / womenDept of Social Services
Please note: If a life is at risk (poison swallowed, struck by lightning, a serious accident), call 999 or get to the nearest hospital straight away.
Key points for farmers
- Keep pesticides and weedkillers in a locked box, away from children and food; never reuse empty bottles for food or water.
- When spraying, wear a mask, gloves, long sleeves and shoes; bathe afterwards and wash those clothes separately.
- When dark clouds gather or you hear thunder, leave the field for a solid building; never shelter under a tree.
- Keep the mobile number registered to your National ID active for allowance payments; ask the Upazila Social Services Office when applications open.
- If debt, crop loss or worry is weighing you down, do not carry it alone; talk to someone in your family or call 16263.
This page gives general guidance. For treatment, always follow a doctor's or hospital's advice.
Help in Bangladesh7
National Emergency Service 999জাতীয় জরুরি সেবা ৯৯৯
CheckedPolice, fire service and ambulance: free, 24 hours.
Shastho Batayon health line 16263স্বাস্থ্য বাতায়ন ১৬২৬৩
CheckedDoctors' advice and mental-health counselling 24 hours a day; ambulance, blood bank and hospital information.
Kaan Pete Roi emotional support helplineকান পেতে রই — মানসিক সহায়তা হেল্পলাইন
CheckedTrained volunteers listen in confidence when you feel low, lonely or overwhelmed. A member of Befrienders Worldwide.
Department of Social Services: online allowance applicationসমাজসেবা অধিদপ্তর — ভাতার অনলাইন আবেদন
CheckedApply for old-age, widow and deserted-women, and disability allowances. Applications open for a set period each year.
National helpline 333জাতীয় তথ্য বাতায়ন ৩৩৩
CheckedInformation on government services, allowances and offices; requests for help during disasters.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD)বাংলাদেশ আবহাওয়া অধিদপ্তর
CheckedForecasts and warnings for storms, lightning and cold waves.
Department of Disaster Management (DDM)দুর্যোগ ব্যবস্থাপনা অধিদপ্তর
CheckedSupport for families hit by disasters, including lightning, through the Upazila Project Implementation Officer.
International help3
Befrienders Worldwideবিফ্রেন্ডার্স ওয়ার্ল্ডওয়াইড
CheckedDirectory of emotional support helplines worldwide; its Bangladesh member is Kaan Pete Roi.
FAO: pest and pesticide managementএফএও — কীটনাশক ব্যবস্থাপনা
CheckedInternational guidance on using pesticides safely and reducing highly hazardous pesticides.
World Health Organization: mental healthবিশ্ব স্বাস্থ্য সংস্থা (WHO) — মানসিক স্বাস্থ্য
CheckedReliable information on mental health, plus self-help guides.
Sources
- Bangladesh's lightning death toll persists as years of govt safeguards fail — Mongabay, June 2026
- Banned in 77 countries, paraquat is spreading across Bangladesh — Prothom Alo, 16 Aug 2026
- Shastho Batayon helpline 16263 — Prothom Alo, 22 Jul 2025
- Old age allowance eligibility — Narail Social Services, national portal
- Kaan Pete Roi — Befrienders Worldwide
From the blog
Lightning kills farmers every year: simple rules that save lives
Most people killed by lightning in Bangladesh are farmers working in open fields. The danger peaks from mid-April to early June. Learn the rules now, before the season starts.
Old-age, widow and disability allowances: how farm families can apply
Many older farmers, widows and people with disabilities in rural Bangladesh qualify for a monthly government allowance but never apply. Who qualifies, what you need and when to apply.
When a bad harvest weighs on your mind: you do not have to carry it alone
Crop loss, debt and falling prices can bring sleepless nights and deep worry. That is a normal reaction to a hard situation, and help is free. Signs to notice, things that help, and who to call.
Every sector in one place
Beyond crops: separate pages for livestock, poultry, dairy, fish, bees and the wellbeing of farm families.
LivestockRaising cattle, goats, sheep and buffalo for meat, milk, hides and fibre. Government and expert help on vaccination, treatment, breeds and markets in one place.PoultryRaising chickens, ducks and turkeys for meat and eggs. Help on chicks, feed, vaccination, bird flu and fair prices.DairyFarming focused on milk. Help on collection, cooperatives, feed, breeding and fair prices.FishRaising fish, shrimp and crab in controlled or natural waters. Help on fry, feed, water quality and markets.BeesKeeping bees for honey and beeswax. The mustard, litchi and Sundarbans seasons, training and markets.InternationalThe world bodies that give farmers, livestock keepers, fish farmers and beekeepers free knowledge, training and standards, arranged by sector.