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National News
Arsenic menace takes serious turn in 16 dists
KUSHTIA, Mar 29: Arsenic menace has taken a serious turn in 16
districts of the country, including Kushtia, affecting more than 1.50 crore people. The
people of Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Khulna and of
a vast areas of Rajshahi have been badly affected by arsenic contamination. The Health
Department and some NGOs working in these areas are yet to take extensive measurers to
combat the menace. Banagari, a thinly populated small village with 29 families in Nagdah
union of Hamdanga thana has been identified as one of the places which has been badly
affected by arsenic poisoning. Mohiuddin, 26, son of Akber Ali and Abdul Quddus, 28, son
of Surujuddin of Benagari were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) after
they had developed arsenic related complications. The condition of the two patients is
stated to be critical. Clinical and pathological tests proved that they are arsenic
positive. Three people of the village died of arsenic poisoning related complications
between February and April 1995. According to survey reports of different NGOs, 75 per
cent of the population of the village have developed arsenic related problems. The
condition of 40 per cent people is stated to be critical and women and children are the
worst affected. Mohammad Ali, son of Huzur Ali, Shahidul Islam, son of Komed Sarder of the
village died of arsenic related complications in between October and November last year.
Five people, who died earlier, had developed symptoms similar to those of the patients who
were under treatment at the RMCH for a long time. No medical aid had reached the affected
area in time of need. Health assistants and the field workers of different NGOs started
advising the villagers not to drink arsenic polluted water of their tubewells.Meanwhile 26
persons of two families of village Islampur under Mokarrampur union of Bheramara upazila
have been attacked with arsenic related diseases which caused death of Montaz Ali (60)
from among the affected persons. This has created panic among the people not only in
Bheramara but also in other areas of the district including Kushtia town. Rezaul Karim,
son of Montaz Ali, the victim told this correspondent that he took his father to many
doctors in the country and in India but his death could not be prevented. Another seven
persons of his family have been attacked with the disease. When contacted Executive
Engineer, Public Health Engineering Department told this corespondent that he would visit
the place and collect water of those tubewells for test. ( The Independent )
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