THE DAILY STAR
                                  January 3 1998.    

                Arsenic detected in tubewell water in 203 villages

                              From Our Correspondent

            PABNA, Dec 30: Arsenic contamination of water has been
            detected in a large number of tubewells in 203 villages
            of the country.

            Pabna is one of the districts where arsenic
            contamination has been detected in four thanas while
            conducting survey by Dhaka Community Hospital.

            Prof Quazi Kamruzzaman, Chairman, Dhaka Community
            Hospital, who came to Pabna along with a high powered
            international team for surveying arsenic pollution of
            tubewell water in different districts of Bangladesh.

            Prof Kamruzzaman disclosed to The Daily Star
            Correspondent, three villages of Baroipara Union
            Parishad under Fakirhat thana of Bagerhat district, six
            villages under Khan Jahan Ali Union Parishad of Rupsha
            thana under Khulna district, two villages under Dighulia
            Union Parishad of Daulatpur thana, four villages of
            Damodar Union Parishad under Fultala thana, three
            villages of Magurasona Union under Dumuria thana - all
            of Khulna district; five villages under Tentulia Union
            Parishad within Satkhira district and six villages under
            Tala thana of the same Satkhira district; two villages
            under Naoapara thana and two other villages of Khanpur
            Union Parishad under Monirampur thana of Jessore
            district, village Sanawar of Ghapa Union Parishad of the
            same thana; five villages of Rupdia Union Parishad under
            Jessore Sadar thana; three villages of Gungunathpur
            Union Parishad; two villages of Bidhanandakandi Union
            Parishad under Jhikargachha thana of Jessore district;
            four villages of Moheshpur Union Parishad under
            Moheshpur thana of Jhenidah district; three villages of
            Nagdaha Union Parishad under Alamdanga thana of
            Chuadanga district; four villages of Kutubpur Union
            Parishad of the sadar thana under Meherpur district; six
            mahallas under Kushtia Pourashabha; three villages of
            Poradaha Union Parishad under Mirpur thana; three
            villages under Mokarrampur Union of Bheramara thana of
            Kushtia district; six villages of Paksey Union under
            Ishurdi thana; five mahallas of Bera Pourashabha;
            Sujanagar village under Sujanagar Union Parishad, three
            villages under Satbaria Union; one village under Dulai
            Union of Sujanagar thana, four villages of Karamja Union
            under Santhia thana and four mahallas within Pabna
            Pourashabha of Pabna district; three mahallas of
            Nowabganj Pourashabha under Chapainawabganj district;
            two villages under Ambikapur Union Parishad of Faridpur
            thana and four villages under Ramnagar Union Parishad of
            Nagarkanka thana of Faridpur district; three villages of
            Hemardi Union Parishad under Bhanga thana; three
            villages of Hashimpur Union Parishad under Baliakandi
            thana of Rajbari district, four villages of Rajbari
            sadar thana; four villages of Kasundi Union Parishad
            under sadar thana, four villages of Binodpur Union
            Parishad under Mohammadpur thana of Magura district; two
            villages of Haziganj sadar thana; three villages of
            Sadullapur Union Parishad under Matlab thana, four
            villages of Rajargaon Union Parishad of Chandpur sadar
            thana, three villages of sadar thana of Chandpur
            district; four villages of Chatkhail thana, six villages
            under Amanullahpur Union Parishad of Begumganj thana;
            Mirzapur villages of Natiswar Union Parishad under
            Noakhali district; six mahallas of Luxmipur Pourashabha;
            five villages of Raipur Union Parishad of Raipur thana;
            four villages under Charbabil Union Parishad; three
            villages under Ramganj Union Parishad of Ramganj thana;
            three villages under Irabpur Union of Luxmipur district;
            three mahallas within Narayanganj Pourashabha; six
            villages under Aminpur Union Parishad of Sonargaon
            thana; two villages under Shambhupur Union Parishad;
            three mahallas of Fatulla Pourashabha under Narayanganj
            district; two villages of Chandarkandi Union Parishad
            under Raipura thana of Narsingdi district; four villages
            of Srinagar Union Parishad under Srinagar thana of
            Munshiganj district four villages of Purbo Sandalpur
            Union Parishad under Daudkandi thana of Comilla
            district; five villages under Kushalli Union Parishad of
            Tungipara thana of Gopalganj district; five villages of
            Moksedpur Union Parishad under Moksedpur thana of
            Gopalganj district and several villages under Pirojpur
            district are under arsenic pollution of many tubewells.

            Prof Kamruzzaman further disclosed that both the
            government of Bangladesh and also the World Bank have
            now come forward to detect arsenic pollution of tubewell
            water in Bangladesh. The work is like to be completed
            within three months.