Access to Safe Water in Rural Bangladesh: Memorable Meetings

Three weeks have passed in the 'Country of Bengal'. The country that some people may say is the 'Forgotten Country' due to its unfortunate preconditions. In terms of geography, Bangladesh is a low-land with a delta of rivers. Hence, the country is vulnerable to floodings and cyclones. The geographical location of Bangladesh implies both annual monsoons and cyclones - which then obviously leaves deep traces of devastation.

As already mentioned, poverty is deep and widespread. Bangladeshi workers are paid the world's lowest wages (which is why people from Bangladesh represent a large group of guest workers in the world, for example in Dubai. It is a livelihood strategy. A few years work abroad imply a secured future economy of the whole family including relatives. Once back again, they are perceived as heroes).

After only 40 years of independence, Bangladesh is still in the transformation I believe in becoming a real democracy, since it is currently dysfunctional, in terms of corruption. The methods which are used by ruling party and opposition party in order to still have the power or to get the power are by no means democratic. Thus, the political situation in the country is unstable and tense. This year, political tensions have even spilled over into violence. It's been a year characterized by riots, violent public gatherings/demonstrations and strikes. Many people have died. And the political tension will most likely increase as the next coming election will be held in only three months (January 2014).

But despite corruption and an overall low score in the Human Rights Record other Development Indicators have in fact improved significantly during the last decades. Particularly within the sectors of education and health.

I don't know how I slipped into 'overall country situation' - Anyhow, I am doing fine, although I miss my near ones of course. I am actually back shortly in Dhaka. The reason is these days celebration of 'Eid al Adha' (muslim festival/holidays) and Shimul (friend and driver) obviously wanted to reunite with his family in Dhaka on this occassion.

Field work so far

The time so far in the field has been quite an 'earth shattering' experience. To hear about stories, poverty and misery on TV is one thing but to be face-to-face and eye-to-eye actually communicating with the people who live right in it - quite throws you over. So real, it's like a face slam. You can not turn off the TV. You are there, right in it, interacting with the people. Hearing their stories. Wathing their expressions. Noticing their eyes. Blank eyes often of no sparkle, no hope. One of the groups I wanted to target for my studie were young unmarried women. When asking them about their future dreams they answered: "...we can not dream, the future is deemed for us, a woman in this country has to tolerate everything, not least the man who is chosen for us...". The answer luckily tended to change as the economic situation was just slightly better and the girls could go to school. Then the common answer was dreams of higher education. Good sign.

Access to Safe Water - Arsenic Situation

The arsenic contamination was indeed widespread in the villages. In one village, almost everybody was affected to some extent. That village had no public safe water tubewell installed at all. All the other villages had since only a few years ago, 2-3 public safe water tubewells (arsenic free) installed in the center of the village or just outside. To alert people to arsenic, tubewells provding safe water have been painted green and tubewells providing unsafe water, red. Many of the households had in fact their own private tubewell - but almost all of these have been found containing high levels of arsenic, why they are now almost all painted red. Having a private tubewell located within the 'Bari' (garden) is of course convenient, but most importantly it implies social security for the women. Household structures are extremely hierarchal in rural Bangladesh. Since fetching water is defined as a domestic (household) responsibility, fetching water is exclusively procured by women, and especially younger women. Women's mobility is restricted. When walking outside of the Bari, and in the village, women are exposed to a social risk (e.g. harrasments/sexual assaults). It's also a matter of family honor, not putting women of the family at this risk. Thus, women mostly stay within the Bari at all times (although it should be clarified that women in villages 'better off', could move more freely, thus being able to fetch safe water from further distance). Ever since arsenic were found in almost all of the private owned tubewells, a difficult dilemma are now faced by the poorest households and women: Fetching safe water from further distance, outside of the Bari at a socially dangerous risk - or to fetch unsafe water from private owned tubewell at a risk of being arsenic contaminated. Since the effects/symptoms of arsenic poisoning are not immediate (it can take several years) most familys continue to fetch unsafe water from their own arsenic contaminated tubewell. Hence, a slow mass-poisoning of millions is taking place in rural Bangladesh, right now.

Despite strong emotional, and sometimes also physical hardships, visiting the people in the arsenic acute villages, we visited more villages than planned. Instead of three villages, we visited six. Taking into account that this was achieved by spending 4 - 6 hours in a car everyday, due to bad road conditions, these were some exhausting days for all of us.

Reflections so far: It's been a worthwhile experience. Even though being in a position, coming from 'West', thus painfully aware of the differences between our 'two worlds'. I was also nervous about how I was going to be 'perceived' by the people in the villages, because of the above. Although a lot of people thought I was a doctor and could cure them, I was treated beautifully. With a minimum of resources they did all they could to serve me well, which made me feel bad. They sure did not have to. I was just happy if they would give some of their time to let me ask some questions. For example, they were very eager to let me sit on the most comfortable place, in one village they were even trying to get ahold of a fan in the village, so that they could place it where I was sitting. I was so moved by their eager to make me feel welcome. My arrivals in the villages created small gatherings of curious village people. In my mind I had pictured me, my translator and the one or the ones I was going to interview, for ourselves behind closed doors. Impossible. Since most houses did not even have doors. We ended up often sitting upon the porch of the houses, with a crowd of curious people standing around us - often even participating in the discussion. 'Adapt to sudden unforeseen situations' very much characterized my time out in the field. That, and...memorable meetings.

আলিঙ্গন, Louise

People of Kolarua (Koyla)

People of Kirsnokhati (Tala)

Children of Koyla

People of Bishnopura (Sagoodhari)

Woman of Kirsnokhati, fetching water in a pitcher. This village was 'better off' compared to the other villages. Fewer inhabitants. Women here were not afraid.

Man of Kirsnokhati drinking water from safe water tubewell.

View from where I was sitting on the porch having the interview (Kolarua)

Perhaps the worst off village, Ghona (Jessore), no safe water tubewell and almost everybody were affected to some extent.

15 year old girl arsenic contaminated. One of the first symptoms are severe skin leisures.

Male arsenic contaminated patient sitting on his porch. In front of him, translator Nusrat.

Severe skin leisures caused by arsenic.

Corruption exists at all levels in Bangladesh. We passed this sign on our way to one of the villages, I became curious and wanted to visit this place. The mistress of this place did not want to answer simple questions regarding their organisation and their fulfullings, she almost pushed us away clearly uncomfortable as if she was conceiling something.