Some 80 million people of Bangladesh are now at risk of Arsenic contamination. This was revealed from the latest survey jointly conducted by DCH and SOES. After analyzing the data, experts opined that groundwater Arsenic contamination and sufferings of peoples in Bangladesh may be the biggest Arsenic calamity in the world.

The survey was carried out in 230 thanas of 64 out of 64 districts of the country. Arsenic at alarming level was found in the water of 54 districts. Some 80 million people reside in these districts having a total area of 97390 square kilometer. May be not all of the 80 million people are drinking Arsenic contaminated water regally, But it can be said that they are a always at risk of being affected with Arsenic. Arsenic contamination in ground water was found in various countries of the world. But there is no instance of such a huge population facing the risk of Arsenic pollution.

Till September 2000, the water samples from 30,000 tube-wells 7,000 human tissues (hair, nail) and urine samples from 2830 people were tested in laboratory under the DCH-SOES survey. the presence of high Arsenic was detected in 55 percent samples of water,94 percent samples of urine. This reveals a disastrous situation regarding Arsenic pollution in Bangladesh.

Some 210 samples of skin-scales were also tested in the SOES laboratory in which high level of fixed of recommended value of Arsenic of skin-scales it is difficult to say anything about the nature of Arsenic poisoning on human body through skin.

It should be mention here that four districts are still out of survey on Arsenic pollution. These are Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Cox's Bazar.

The WHO recommended value of Arsenic concentration in water is 0.01 mg/l, while the maximum permissible limit for Bangladesh and India has been fixed at 0.05 mg/l In the DCH-SOES survey, less than .01 mg/l Arsenic concentration was detected in 51 percent or 2803 out of 6101 water samples while above the WHO recommended value (0.01 mg/l was found in the rest 73 percent of 3298 sample on the other hand, Arsenic concentration at less than maximum permissible limit 0.05 mg/l was detected in 62 percent or 3783 samples, while above the limit was found in the rest 38 percent or 2318 water samples.

Arsenic concentration at higher level than the WHO recommended value be found in the tube-wells of 53 districts out of the 64 surveyed. Of these, the level of Arsenic presence exceeds the maximum permissible limit in the tube-wells water of 41 districts. In 11 districts, the level of Arsenic concentration was found more than the WHO recommended value, but less than the maximum permissible limit. That means, highest 0.05 mg/l Arsenic exists in the tube-wells water of these districts. These areas can be considered moderately safe. These 11 districts are Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Bogra, Dhaka, Joypurhat, Gazipur, Borguna, Bhola, Sylhet and Habiganj. A total of 695 tube-wells were brought under investigation in these districts. Less than 0.01 mg/l Arsenic was found in 582 tube-wells (84 percent). The level of Arsenic concentration between 0.01 mg/l and 0.05 mg/l was in the rest 113 tube-wells (16 percent).

Besides, after testing the water of 328 tube-wells of 8 districts, the survey did not found alarming level of Arsenic. Arsenic was found less than 0.01 mg/l in these samples. These districts can be considered as completely safe from Arsenic pollution. These 8 districts are-Panchagar, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Naogaon, Patuakhali and Moulavibazar.

Dangerous level (above 0.05 mg/l) of Arsenic was found in the water of 41 districts. These are: Nawabganj, Rajshahi, Pabna, Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Jessore, Sathkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Rajbari, Magura, Chandpur, Noakhali, Luxmipur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Narail, Barishal, Jhalakati, Gopalganj, Natore, Comilla, Manikganj, Munshiganj Feni, Narsingdi, Chittagong, Sherpur, Netrokona, Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Tangail, Kishoreganj, Sumamganj, Sirajganj, and Brahmanbaria.

The water of 5036 tube-wells were tested in these 41 districts of those, 38 percent or 1893 tube-wells were found having Arsenic at less than WHO recommended value. Arsenic at a level of upto 0.49 mg/l or less than the maximum permissible limit was found in 55 percent or 2760 samples. And the rest 2286 samples (45 percent) were found having above 0.05 mg/l Arsenic.

They survey in these 41 districts revealed a more dangerous fact. That is the presence of high level of Arsenic in the polluted water. The detected Arsenic level was from 0.01 mg/l to 1.0 mg/l, even more, in 1743 samples. Arsenic concentration more than 1.0 mg/l was found in 75 samples. Such a high concentration was not found even in the worst affected districts of the West Bengal.

According to Worlds Health Organization, more than 1.0 mg/l Arsenic in water may create a disastrous situation. This concentrations 100 times higher than the Who recommended value and 20 times higher than the maximum permissible limit.

Not only in the water samples. Arsenic at high level was found in 89 percent of the total 1758 hair samples tested in these districts. The normal amount of Arsenic in hair is less than l mg/kg. 98 percent of tested 1760 nail samples were detected having found contain Arsenic above the normal value. The normal content Arsenic in nail is 0.43 -1.08 mg/kg.

High level of Arsenic presence was also found in 95 percent urine samples out of the total 830 samples tested. The normal level of Arsenic presence in urine is between 0.01 mg/l and 0.05 mg/l. there is no recommended value of Arsenic in skin-scales. But while testing 210 skin samples, the DCH-SOES survey detected on an average 7.41 mg/kg Arsenic.

Out of the 41 districts, where Arsenic has been found above 0.05 mg/l, the DCH and SOES so far surveyed 22 districts for Arsenic patients. In 21 districts, they identified people suffering from Arsenic induced skin-lesions like Melanosis, leuco-melanosis, Keratosis, Hyper-keratosis, dorsum, non-petting oedema, gangrene, skin cancer etc. During the preliminary field survey conducted for last one and half year in 96 groundwater Arsenic contaminated villages in 44 thanas of 22 districts they found Arsenic patients in 93 villages in 21 districts. They examined at random 5664 people including children and out of them, 33.6 percent were found to have Arsenical skin lesions.