United News of Bangladesh

At first glance, it looks harmless. Standing two to three feet tall with lush green leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers, the plant resembles coriander. But beneath its innocent appearance lies a growing threat to agriculture, public health and livestock. Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus), one of the world’s most invasive and toxic weeds, is spreading rapidly across Chuadanga, prompting concern among farmers, agricultural scientists and health experts.  They warn that failure to contain it now could have serious long-term consequences. Field visits and local inquiries found the weed spreading across all four upazilas of the district—Chuadanga Sadar, Alamdanga, Damurhuda and Jibannagar.  It is increasingly visible along roadsides, railway tracks, fallow land, border areas and even around cropland.  Yet most residents remain unaware of the plant’s identity or the dangers it poses. Originally native to North and South America, parthenium is believed to have entered Bangladesh through neighbouring India before gradually expanding across different regions.  Despite its relatively short life cycle of just three to four months, a single plant can produce thousands of seeds several times during its lifespan.  The seeds are easily dispersed by wind, rainwater, vehicles and animals, allowing the weed to colonise new areas rapidly. Farmers said the plant has become noticeably more common over the past few years.