The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

International expert on Arsenic, Water and Environment Meer Husain said the Arsenic problem in Bangladesh has become acute due to man-made dams in the Trans-border Rivers like the Farakka and Tista Barrages that impede the natural river flow.

Husain, who is also a Geologist in a US college, said the natural river flows have to be resumed by removing the river-dams to solve the arsenic problem, he said.

He stressed on the coordination with India to solve the problem.

Meer Husain was addressing a seminar styled "World's largest Man-Made Arsenic Disaster in Bangladesh and Sustainable Solution to the Problem" organised by the Geology Department of Dhaka University (DU) at its auditorium.

DU Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AFM Yusuf Haider also addressed the seminar, which was presided over by Chairman of the Department Prof Dr Kamrul Hasan.

The Pro-VC urged the scientists to work more for a sustainable solution of arsenic problem, as the problem has become alarming in Bangladesh.

He said Bangladesh is a disaster-hit country. Natural disasters and man-made disasters hit the country frequently. Arsenic is one of the man-made disasters, he added.

He further said most of the country's crops and industrial production depend on the underground water, but approximately 10 million tube-wells are affected by arsenic across the country.

He also said more than 30 million people of the country are drinking the arsenic contaminated water.

He urged the scientists to conduct researches to develop the solution of arsenic problem with a view to save the people from the curse of arsenic.