Bt brinjal, the first genetically modified crop in Bangladesh, has already become very popular among our farmers. Farmers in all vegetable growing districts of the country now use this crop possibly because it performs well in combating the destructive impact of the pest. The Bt gene produces a protein that is toxic to the borer pest but reportedly harmless to other types of insects and human beings. So Bt brinjal suffers less pest damage and its overall productivity is higher. The crop has also been shown to reduce pesticide use.
Despite having benefits and enormous potential, GM crops like Bt brinjal often face opposition from a group of experts. According to them, Bt brinjal has inadequately addressed health and environmental risks, lack of transparency in sharing test data, implications to seed sovereignty of farmers and an absence of informed choice for consumers. Cross-pollination in GM crops paves the way for herbicide-resistant superweeds that can further threaten the sustenance of other crops and pests because of its uncontrolled growth. Pest-resistant Bt crops can also lead to the extinction of a few species that in turn can affect the food chain also. That will be harmful for biodiversity. Bt brinjal poses risks to human health as it contains antibiotic markers. It produces a protein in the vegetable cells that induces antibiotic resistance while humans need to consume antibiotics to fight various diseases. Resistance to antibiotics can turn medicines ineffective. A recently conducted study shows that a person consuming genetically modified brinjal on a regular basis can suffer from immunological, liver and reproductive problems.
Experiments related to GM crops are still being conducted worldwide including in the USA, Canada, Australia and even India. None of the countries has come to a conclusion that GM crops are safe for humans. So, we have to do more research to ensure that they are really safe for us. Developing Bt brinjal is undoubtedly a revolution in green biotechnology. What we require now is scientific study that can bring Bt brinjal more acceptance not only in Bangladesh but across the world.
Samia Jahan Shefa,
Student of Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore,
shefasamia8@gmail.com