Speaking at the biennial conference of the Bangladesh Chemical Society on 30 January 2009, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit reaffirmed the government's pledge to make the country's drinking water arsenic free by 2013. The minister added that, as well as extra financial resources, more emphasis has been laid on research and innovative technology.

Arsenic poisoning remains a serious problem in Bangladesh. An estimated 1 million tube wells (one in five) in Bangladesh have arsenic levels exceeding the acceptable level set by the government of 50 parts per billion (PPB) or 0.05 microgrammes per litre of drinking water, while the approved global WHO standard is 10 PPB.

In the village of Garchapra, in Chuadanga District, more than 2,000 residents fear developing arsenicosis after years of drinking contaminated water. The NGO Forum for Drinking Water and Sanitation has initiated an arsenic mitigation campaign in the area and is distributing medicine for arsenicosis patients. Government health centres are also distributing vitamin-fortified anti-oxidant capsules.

Related news:

• Arsenic mitigation: Bangladesh and Viet Nam - different groundwater compositions require different approaches, Source South Asia, 03 Oct 2008;
• Bangladesh: renewed concerns about arsenic contamination, Source South Asia, 02 Oct 2008;
• Bangladesh: new economical method of testing for toxins in drinking water, Source South Asia, 07 Nov 2008

Web site:NGO Forum for Drinking Water and Sanitation

Source: IRIN, 02 Feb 2009

Tags: governance, south asia, water quality, water treatment, water-related diseases