50m people are at arsenic risk

Speakers at a workshop in the city called for supply of safe drinking water as 50 million (5.0 crore) of the country's people of 61 out of 64 districts are at arsenic risk. The speakers said this while speaking at a workshop, organised by NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, reports UNB. So far, about 35,000 to 36,000 people across the country, except Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban have been affected by arsenic contamination, they said. The workshop on Integrated Community Based Arsenic Mitigation Project was held at NGO Forum office at the city's Lalmatia Monday. First Secretary of European Commission in Dhaka Dr Koen Duchateau was the chief guest at the workshop. The three-year ((2010-12) long project undertaken by NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation is under implementation in 22 districts of Dhaka, Faridpur, Comilla, Rajshahi, Jessore, Khulna and Barisal regions. The workshop was informed that people of the project areas have been benefited due to the project. Different parts of human body go out of order when someone is affected by arsenicosis, they said. They said that information about arsenic contamination and its preventive measures can help the affected people and stop the spread of arsenic contamination. They called for extending the tenure and scope of the project, undertaken to mitigate arsenic contamination, so that large number of people can be benefited. As there is no cure for arsenicosis. Intake of safe drinking water, vitamin-rich foods and vegetables can help the affected people. They called on the government to take leading role in addressing the arsenic issue and supply of safe drinking water. Dr Ahammadul Kabir, Chief of Arsenic Cell of NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation, Dr Atik Rahman, Executive Director of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies, SMA Rashid, Executive Director of NGO Forum and Prof DR Firoz Ahmed of Civil Engineering Department of BUET, among others, spoke on the occasion.