11 percent of population at risk of arsenic contamination

LGRD Minister Tazul Islam informed parliament today that 11% of the country's population is at risk of arsenic contamination.

Citing the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF, he confirmed this statistic during a question-answer session with Awami League MP from Noakhali-2, Morshed Alam.

The minister highlighted various government projects aimed at protecting the public from arsenic.

These initiatives, implemented through the Directorate of Public Health and Engineering, aim to establish 1,065,000 arsenic-free water sources by 2025. Solutions include deep tube wells, piped water supply systems, rainwater storage, and solar-powered pond sand filters. These efforts are expected to reduce the arsenic contamination risk by 5-6% by 2025.

In response to a question from Faridunnahar Laili, a lawmaker from the reserved women's seats, Minister Tazul Islam discussed plans to expand the Dhaka Mosquito Control Department.

The government has revised the department's organisational structure and is planning to establish a full-fledged Dhaka Mosquito Control Directorate. This expansion will include the creation of new manpower, the purchase of machinery and standard insecticides, and the establishment of a permanent lab for mosquito pest testing.