Barguna, May 28 -- Ankuzanpara, once a quiet and picturesque village in Taltali upazila of Barguna, now lies under a heavy blanket of smoke and sorrow.

The fresh air that once breezed through its trees and the crystal-clear river that sustained its people have become tainted - choked by toxic fumes and environmental decay.

Since the 307-megawatt coal-fired power plant began operations in the area, villagers say their lives have been engulfed by an inescapable shadow.

What was promised as a symbol of progress has turned into a source of disease, displacement, and despair.

"The government gave us electricity, but how will my daughter survive?" asked Idris Ali, holding his five-year-old daughter Samia who suffers from painful skin condit...