Adequate information about the actual range of arsenic pollution in Bangladesh is not available at government or non-governmental level . Though the Dhaka Community Hospital and the school of Environmental Studies of Jadavpur University in Calcutta detected high level of arsenic concentration in the tube-well water of 47 districts out of the 64 districts surveyed, but the study reflected only a partial picture of the actual situation. Out of the existing 2-2.5 million tube-wells across the country, the DCH-SOES survey tested only 30,000 till May 2001. Therefore, the true picture of arsenic contamination in Bangladesh will never emerge until and unless all the tube-wells are brought under investigation. It is impossible for any private organization to do this huge task alone. For this reason, the DCH and SOES decided to conduct an extensive survey jointly in a selected police stations of the country.

On the basis of a preliminary survey conducted in all 64 districts of Bangladesh in early 2000, Ramganj thana of luxmipur district has been chosen for the extensive survey. The preliminary survey detected high level of arsenic presence in the groundwater of Luxmipur district. That is why Ramganj thana  was chosen for the follow-up study on arsenic which is still on progress.

The latest survey of DCH-SOES shows that Luxmipur, a southeastern district of Bangladesh, is the worst arsenic affected area of the country. And Ramganj is the worst affected among the four thanas of the district. High level of arsenic concentration was detected in the groundwater of Ramganj. Some 609 tube-wells of district were tested, of which 29 were found contaminated with dangerous level of arsenic (above 1.0 mg/1).All the 29 tube-wells are situated in Ramganj. Besides, 62 tube-wells of the district contain 0.70 to 1.0 mg/1 arsenic of whose, 60 are in Ramganj.

The river Meghna is flowing beside Ramganj, having an area of 299 square kilometer and 287,648 population living in 132 villages. A total of 404 tube-wells of 27 villages were tested, of which only 3 percent or 12 tube-wells were found with arsenic below the maximum permissible limit, i.e.0.05 mg/1. Water of the rest 97 percent or 392 tube-wells were found heavily poisoned by arsenic (>0.05mg/1).

Arsenic presence between 0.05 and 0.29mg/1 was found in 37 percent or 149 tube-wells, between 0.30 and 0.69 mg/1in 15 percent or 154 tube-wells, between 0.07 and 1.0mg/1 in 15 percent or 60 tube-wells, and above 1.0 mg/1 in rest 7 percent or 29 tube-wells. These statistics shows the dire state of arsenic contamination in Ramganj thana

All the tube-wells of two villages- Shibpur and Daspara- were tested in the survey. But none of those was found safe. Each and every tube-well of these villages contain arsenic above the maximum permissible limit.

The DCH and SOES carried out a survey in 18 villages of Ramganj thana for arsenic patients. Of them, in 12 villages survey team identified peoples are suffering form various arsenical skin-lesions. Samples of hair and nail numbering 400 each, along with 11 skin-scales and 250 urine samples were collected from these villages and tested in laboratories. High level of arsenic was detected in each and every sample. This clearly indicates that most of people of these village were affected by arsenic poisoning, although symptoms of arsenicosis were not found in the bodies of every people. A total of 736 people were examined in the survey. Of them, symptoms of arsenical diseases were found in the bodies of 16 percent of 120 people. 

While comparing with other arsenic affected areas of Bangladesh, the percentage of patients appears to be less even though they are consuming high level of arsenic through drinking water. The reasons are not clear but it is learnt from the villagers that most of them were previously using surface water and for last few years only they are using tube-well water. Moreover, people of this area of Bangladesh are of better economic condition, so they are getting better nutrition. There is a co-relation between arsenic poisoning and nutrition. Those who take nutritious food, do not usually become the victims of arsenic contamination.