Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Brahmanpara is a small upazila with 8 unions, 75 thousand people are at risk of arsenic.

According to the Department of Public Health Engineering, there are 2 lakh 32 thousand 628 people in the entire upazila.

Among them, there are 6,371 arsenic-free deep tube wells, according to the union, Madhabpur has 750, Sidlai 589, Chandla 594, Shashidal 848, Dulalpur 670, Brahmanpara Sadar 1504, Sahibabad 781 and Malapara 608 deep tube wells, which are insufficient compared to the requirement. In addition, about half a million shallow tube wells in the upazila have arsenic in dangerous levels. Which is a serious threat to public health.

There are some villages in the upazila where people do not know what arsenic is? What will happen if this disease occurs. They do not know anything about the symptoms of this disease. In addition, according to the Public Health Department, many villages in the area are at serious risk of arsenic. And many people have fallen ill and some symptoms have been detected.

According to the Brahmanpara office of the Public Health Engineering Department, 20,000 tubewells were tested for arsenic in the entire upazila in 2020-2021, of which 13,500 tubewells were found to be free of arsenic, while the remaining 6,500 tubewells contained arsenic.

Accordingly, 32 percent of people in Brahmanpara upazila are drinking arsenic-contaminated water. According to the estimate, 75,000 people in Brahmanpara are at risk of arsenic. In addition, arsenic is present in every shallow tubewell at an exceedingly dangerous level. This water is used for food and cooking. Due to the lack of deep tubewells, the people of the upazila are drinking this poisonous water and cooking. Out of the 8 unions in Brahmanpara upazila, Brahmanpara (Sadar) Union, Madhabpur Union, Chandla Union and Sidlai are at high risk of arsenic.

In this regard, Brahmanpara Deputy Assistant Engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department, Zahid Hasan, said, "We have tested the tubewells in Brahmanpara Upazila that contain arsenic and marked them with red ink. The water from these tubes cannot be consumed or used for cooking. And we conduct free arsenic tests in our office and advise the general public. Brahmanpara Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Abu Hasnat Md. Mohiuddin Mubin said, this disease is observed on human skin through water. Arsenic is a chemical element.

When asked about the medicine for this disease, he said that patients suffering from arsenicosis should drink regular medicine and safe arsenic-free water and eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals. In addition, if this disease occurs, wounds appear in different parts of the body. It is possible to get rid of this disease by seeing a doctor regularly and taking medicine. When asked about this, Brahmanpara Upazila Executive Officer S.M. Azaharul Islam said, "We are trying to eliminate the menace of arsenic in Brahmanpara Upazila. We have already arranged for some deep tube wells.

The work of providing sup water system for 350 families in Naighar of our Sadar Union is underway. In addition, another work will be taken for arsenic-free safe water system."