The Daily Star  January 22, 2004  


		       Arsenic threatens 48,8,650 in Brahmanbaria
                        Sk Shahidul Islam,Brahmanbaria

                        Two hundred and sixteen persons were affected with 
                        arsenic-related diseases in Nabinagar upazila.
                        This is because of consumption of arsenic contaminated 
                        water.

                        Water of 23,663 tube wells in 195 villages were detected 
                        to be arsenic contaminated.

                        Only one village named Rasulpur under Natghar union in 
                        the upazila remained out of arsenic contamination. 
                        Water of all tube-wells in 34 villages of the upazila 
                        are highly contaminated with arsenic. 

                        The most severely-affected villages are: Chander Char, 
                        Das Kanda, Sadekpur, Daponia, Islampur, Kamalpur, 
                        Lakhawra, Radhanagor, Bangaura North, Asrabpur, 
                        Pandabnagar, Padmanagor, Bhatpukur, Kajzlla, 
                        Barashikonika, Chalikhula, Chakrakhukla, Buldibari, 
                        Gunpukuria, Bajebishara, Piara Kandi, Char Manik Kandi, 
                        Dawlathpur, Kazirgong, Sampur, Kazimabad, Damkandi, 
                        Manipur, Nandua, Badruksa Bari, Bandukhar, Nasrabari, 
                        Ghiara and Rasulpur.

                        Water in all tube-wells of 58 villages are not worth 
                        consumption.

                        There are 48,8,650 people in 195 arsenic affected 
                        villages. They are living in a very vulnerable 
                        situation. The Department of Public Health Engineering 
                        (DPHE), Brahmanbaria district conducted a survey and 
                        examined all 28,068 tube-wells and found water of 23, 
                        663 tube wells were highly contaminated with arsenic. 
                        About 1,518 tubewells were completely out of order. The 
                        DPHE also detected 154 arsenic patients there. 
                        The DPHE staffers marked red the arsenic contaminated 
                        tube-wells so that none consumes water of the 
                        tube-wells. 

                        But as there was no alternative, people were found to 
                        drink arsenic-contaminated water from the red-marked 
                        tube-wells. 

                        Even people used to drink water of the Titas river and 
                        other ponds. As a result, more than 300 people were 
                        attacked with diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases, 
                        local people and hospital sources said.

                        Arsenic- related diseases usually damage kidney, liver, 
                        skin and nervous system. Arsenic poisoning can cause 
                        also death of patients, an expert told this 
                        correspondent.

                        Because of drinking arsenic-contaminated water, the 
                        number of arsenic patients were increasing regularly.
                        According to a DPHE survey report, the layer of arsenic 
                        contaminated water was found at 30 metre depth. 

                        Brahmanbaria DPHE undertook a plan to instal 125 deep 
                        tube-wells above 210 metre depth in different parts of 
                        the affected areas. They also installed 11 ring tube 
                        wells there. 

                        Besides, under the arsenic mitigation project of 
                        Bangladesh, the UNICEF took steps to construct two 
                        structures in the affected areas to preserve rain water 
                        for human consumption.

                        While this correspondent visited the spots, Abdul Kadir 
                        of Biddaya Kut Village told him that they were suffering 
                        from arsenic pollution for more than three years. But 
                        the authorities did not take step to mitigate their 
                        sufferings. 

                        Another villager, Abdur Razzak told that they were asked 
                        to preserve rain water for consumption. But people were 
                        not keen to use rain water.

                        On contact, Executive Engineer of Brahmanbaria DPHE 
                        Fazlul Haque informed that he received a full-fledged 
                        report of Nabinagar upazila at field level in October 
                        last year and undertook a plan to mitigate the suffering 
                        of victims.