December 25, 2023 | Dhaka Tribune |
Farmers in several districts of Bangladesh, including Chuadanga, Meherpur, Jhenaidah, Kushtia, and Jessore, are demanding punishment for YouTubers spreading misinformation about dragon fruit. The farmers organized a human chain in Chuadanga, urging that YouTubers, who are not medical experts, should not make false claims about the harm of dragon fruit tonics to humans. They emphasize that they use government-approved hormones, and such allegations are meant to promote and sell Indian hormones illegally. Dragon fruit is considered a superfood in Bangladesh, with suitable soil and climate conditions for cultivation. Commercial dragon fruit gardens are present in various regions, and its cultivation is expanding. Despite false claims on YouTube about toxic chemicals harming health, tests conducted by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute found no harmful pesticides in dragon fruit in July.