60pc cancer patients directly involved in agriculture: Adviser

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has said some 60 percent of cancer patients in the country are farmers, attributing their high risk of the disease to prolonged exposure to pesticides, reports UNB.

"Some 60 percent of cancer patients are directly involved in agriculture. The reason for this is that women are mixing pesticides and farmers are spraying these (on crops)," she said while addressing a dialogue.

Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Workers Federation organised the national dialogue on 'Inclusive Labour Laws with International Standard and Legal Recognition of Workers in Agriculture and Informal Economic Sectors' at CIRDAP Auditorium in the capital on Monday.

The adviser said no remedial measures are being taken in this regard, though focus should be given on prevention of cancers among farmers.

She mentioned that the term 'farmer' does not appear in the agricultural law; instead, the law only includes the term 'contract farmer.'