This silent killer is arsenic which has contaminated the drinking water of many villages in northern Bangladesh. Within the last five years, it is not only her health that she has lost. Both her parents and two brothers have died from the disease. I never slept without holding her hand. Her parental home is in ruins.
Nobody lives there anymore.
In fact, children are the worst victims of arsenic poisoning says Dr Mahmudur Rahman of Community Hospital in Dhaka, the only organization so far, to carry out an investigative survey of the problem. According to Dr Rahman, those children who are affected, have been consuming arsenic, through water, from a very early age. But while early diagnosis and treatment may help the affected children, immediate measures must be taken to stop further contamination. In the arsenic hit areas this is as high as 2.7mg for every 1000CC of water. So far, the government has done little to address the problem.