Arsenic levels in Barisal division alarming

At least 32 people died of arsenicosis in five years.

Even water of deep tubewell is contaminated with the deadly poison at places, according a recent survey jointly done by the NGO Forum and the Dhaka Community Hospital.

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Of the dead, 22 are in Barisal Sadar, eight in Babuganj and two in Agailjhara upazilas in the district.

The survey identified 334 arsenicosis patients only in Babuganj upazila.

Conditions in the Sadar, Hizla and Muladi upazilas are similar, it said.

Water of most of the shallow tube wells in the areas is contaminated with arsenic, which has affected a large number of people in different areas of the district.

Conditions in Bhola and Patuakhali districts are no better.

Arsenic has also been found in at least 24 deep tube wells in Barisal division-- 18 of those in Barisal, five in Bhola and one in Pirojpur.

All shallow tube wells are arsenic- contaminated in 200 villages in 40 upazilas in Barisal division, the survey revealed.

Presence of arsenic is "alarmingly high" in some of the shallow tube wells.

According to statistics, there are 16, 776 deep and 50,153 shallow tube wells in ten upazilas of Barisal district. These were sunk by the Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE), different NGOs and by private users to ensure safe drinking water.

The deep tube wells found contaminated include those at Shahid Zia College in Nazirpur; Proshika office in Sahakati; Mahmudia Madrasha and Koira High School in Charbaria in Barisal Sadar upazila and at several houses in Uzirpur and Babuganj upazilas.

Arsenic has also been found beyond the permissible level in some of the deep tube wells sunk in Gazaria, Daulatkhan and Chafession upazilas in Bhola district.

Once people were motivated by NGOs and different government agencies to use groundwater for safety. People are confused now as they are advised to use surface water again.