December 16, 2002

Tk 8.6cr Japanese grant for arsenic mitigation



UNB, Dhaka


The government of Japan will provide 184 million yen equivalent to Tk 8.60 crore for 
a UNICEF-funded arsenic mitigation project in Bangladesh.

The project is designed to ensure the supply of safe drinking water to some 2,000 
communities directly benefiting some 4 million people.


A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed at the conference room of 
Local Government Division of LGRD Ministry in the city yesterday.


State Minister for LGRD Ziaul Haq Zia was present during the signing of the MOU.


Japanese Ambassador in Dhaka Jiro Kobayeshi and UNICEF representative in Bangladesh 
Morten Giersing signed the agreement, said an official release.


Local Government Secretary AYBI Siddiqui, Chief Engineer of Department of Public 
Health Engineering Ishaq Ali and other high officials were also present.


Speaking on the occasion, Ziaul Haq Zia thanked the Japanese government for 
providing the timely assistance.


He said the grant will help complete the work of blanket testing, patient 
identification and provision for safe drinking water options in 14 upazilas of 
8 districts.


The Department of Public Health Engineering is working to implement the project 
with technical assistance from UNICEF.


Referring to two Japanese projects on arsenic in Bangladesh, Japanese Ambassador 
Jiro Kobayashi called for urgent, concerted and coordinated action in this regard.


He stressed on multi-sectoral approach involving relevant ministries, NGOs and 
development partners to thwart the challenges posed by arsenic contamination in 
groundwater.


Commending Japanese support to arsenic mitigation, Morten Giersing called for 
complete testing of wells to save the people from the ill affects of arsenic 
contaminated water. 

He said the Japanese grant-in-aid is a practical demonstration of the Japanese 
Government's support for children and women in Bangladesh.


UNICEF is actively engaged in arsenic mitigation and by the end of this month 
blanket test of more than a million tubewells in 45 upazilas would be completed. 

UNICEF's four-pronged strategy for arsenic mitigation programme includes blanket 
testing, awareness creation through communication, patient identification & 
management and development of alternative sources of drinking water.