Market Floods With Adulterated Liquor

News of death, mutilation or illness due to poisoning by drinking adulterated alcohol is seldom heard in Bangladesh. There have been several such incidents in the last few days.

In separate incidents in Dhaka recently, at least 5 people have died due to poisoning after drinking alcohol.

Several others are being treated at various hospitals. On the other hand, at least three people were found dead in Bogra on Monday after drinking adulterated liquor.

Methanol poisoning is mentioned in the health reports of most of those who have died and are in the hospital.

Methanol or methyl alcohol is the most crude phase of the spirit.

It is usually light, colorless, and has a pungent odor. Methanol is used in many cases, such as wood or plastic work, varnishing or painting, or printing.

In Bangladesh, news of death by drinking spirit in the name of alcohol is often published in the media. In most cases of death or illness caused by adulterated alcohol, methanol has been used as the main ingredient in making adulterated alcohol.

There are restrictions on the consumption of alcohol everywhere in Bangladesh and the sale of alcohol in all shops.

People usually buy wine from some government-approved warehouses, licensed bars and various hotels. Only those who have a license to drink alcohol can buy alcohol from these places.

Unscrupulous traders mix methanol in adulterated liquor

The Department of Narcotics Control has been conducting raids in various clubs and bars from time to time and reports of confiscation of liquor have been published in the media from time to time.

However, despite the strictures of the law, a large part of the buyers buy liquor from illegal sellers.

And a class of sellers make and sell adulterated liquor by taking advantage of this demand of the buyers.

Speaking to at least four public and private hospitals in Dhaka, it is learned that the number of patients coming for treatment for poisoning symptoms has increased in the last few weeks.

According to physicians and chemists, methanol can be deadly harmful to the human body.

Commercial breweries bring down the amount of alcohol in their products to safe levels for human consumption.

However, unscrupulous and illicit traders often add methanol, which is used in industrial work, to alcohol made.

The way adulterated wine made with methanol is harmful

Tofail Ahmed Chowdhury, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Dhaka University, said, "Even a small amount of methanol can cause great physical harm to a person. The effects of methanol on a person's physical condition are the same."

Since the price of methanol is much lower than other spirits available in the market, it is mainly used in making adulterated wine, he said. Chowdhury.

A study published in the journal Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2016 found that a person can go blind if they consume about 4 to 12 grams of pure methanol directly.

However, the study found that individuals taking less than this amount of pure methanol may be more likely to become blind or die.

Sohail Mahmud, head of the forensic department at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said that if methanol enters the body, a person can have a heart attack and the nervous system can be severely damaged - both of which can lead to death.

"The more time it takes to take methanol, the more it mixes with the body and the greater the risk of harm to the body," said Mr. Mahmoud.

When methanol enters the body, the supply of oxygen to the cells is disrupted due to poisoning. The amount of acid in the body increases and the kidneys are not able to excrete that excess acid.

This results in severe damage to the kidneys, nervous system, liver and other internal organs. In many cases, permanent paralysis also occurs.

Doctors say the worst effect of methanol poisoning is on the nerves of the eye. Many survivors of poisoning go blind.

Possible symptoms of methanol poisoning

Symptoms usually take several hours after methanol enters the human body.

Dr. Sohail Mahmud said that some symptoms may appear after a certain period of time when methanol enters the body.

"Methanol poisoning can cause headaches, nausea or vomiting, as well as heartburn and convulsions," he said.

Symptoms may include fatigue, abdominal pain, dizziness, blurred vision, or shortness of breath.

If anyone suspects that he or she has been drinking methanol, he or she should seek medical attention before symptoms appear or as soon as symptoms appear. Mahmoud.

How to understand whether alcohol is adulterated or not

Many people who have been drinking alcohol for a long time can see from the outside or smell the odor that the alcohol is adulterated.

However, it is not always possible for ordinary people to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit liquor.

According to some people working in several bars in Dhaka, there is no specific method to diagnose alcohol adulteration, but the presence of alcohol adulteration can be detected in a simple way.

A bar employee, who did not want to be named, said, "The easiest way to test alcohol is to take a little alcohol and light it on fire."

"If you want to make adulterated wine by mixing methanol, you have to add a small amount of water in it.

And even if there is a drop of water, the fire will not burn in that wine. So if the alcohol is on fire, you can assume that there is no chance of adulteration.

Source: BBC Bangla