The recklesss use of illegal pesticides is posing a major health risk to people in rural Bangladesh, according a study released on Sunday 7 June. The National Minor Irrigation Development Project, incollaboration with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, found residues of the chemicals DDT and heptachlor in sub-soil water which exceeded the World Health Organization's recommended level of 0.03micrograms per litre. The wide- spread use of both pesticides has been banned in Bangladesh.