Md. Kamruzzaman Khan Picklu, Chitalmari, Bagerhat:
An acute crisis of pure drinking water has intensified in Chitalmari upazila in Bagerhat recently which was severe during the beginning of summer.
People were seen running far and wide with pitchers looking for drinking water. Talking to locals, some people said many of them were forced to drink contaminated water, which is raising the risk of the spread of various water-borne diseases.
Sources said due to excessive arsenic in most of the tubewells of the upazila and drying up of river-canals and ponds, there was an acute shortage of drinking water at the beginning of summer.
As a result, many are living by drinking contaminated water in order to survive. As a result, there is a risk of spreading various water borne diseases including diarrhea, diarrhea and typhoid.
In this regard, Debashish Biswas of Kurmuni village, Golak Mandal of Garibpur, Akbar Ali of Surshail, Sanjay Malakar and many others said that although water is another name for life, this water is now bringing danger to the people of this upazila. There are cries for potable water all around. People are running far and wide with pitchers for water.
The crisis of potable water is a daily problem of the people of this region. They also complained that although the problem has gone away in the last few years, no steps have been taken to find a permanent solution.
They also said that most of the rivers, canals and ponds in the area have dried up and bathing and drinking water are not available anywhere. As a result, people have to drink water from arsenic-contaminated tubewells and dirty ponds. In this condition, people are suffering from various water-borne diseases by drinking this water. 
Besides, foul-smelling water of various ponds and canals is being used in homes and hotels and restaurants due to lack of potable water. Which is unfit for drinking. Different people are fetching this water from the pond in vans and selling it in hotels and restaurants. People have lost their way due to this obvious problem of water.
Paritosh Chakraborty, secretary of the Chitalmari Sadar Union Parishad, said there are two pumps in Charbaniari and Chitalmari Union called Hi-Sawa to supply pure water to the area. However, the pump is now useless.
Ponds Sand Filters (PSFs), Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) initiatives by the local public and various NGOs to help conserve rainwater, but the amount is limited. In most of the ponds where PSF has been set up, the general public is not getting the benefit due to lack of water.
According to the office of the Upazila Public Health Engineer, the layer of sand that is being found by digging about 600 feet deep into the soil has high salinity. It is difficult to get a reservoir of potable water under the ground. Levels of arsenic in tube well water.
Chitalmari Sadar UP Chairman Sheikh Nizam Uddin said an application has been made to the concerned department to resolve the pure water crisis. If this project was passed, water could be brought from Madhumati and supplied to the area.
However, Dr. Farooq Ahmed, director of Chitalmari Clinic, said that lack of clean water can lead to the spread of various water-borne diseases including diarrhea, diarrhea and typhoid.
