Water in Bangladesh is either unsafe or pricey
But there is a new set of ideas to fix an old problem
BANGLADESH, WHICH sits within the world’s largest river delta, has no shortage of water. Alas, barely any of it is drinkable. Much of the country’s surface water contains high levels of poisonous arsenic, owing to both man-made and natural causes. The effects of climate change increasingly sully the rest with salt, even in wells dug deep. As cyclones and tidal surges from the Bay of Bengal intensify, sea water fills the delta. Salt-ridden soil makes growing rice impossible, forcing Bangladeshis to abandon low-lying regions—home to a quarter of the country’s 170m people—in favour of more fertile areas or cities.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Thirst trap”
Asia May 8th 2021
- India’s national government looks increasingly hapless
- Why is Mumbai handling its second wave better than Delhi?
- South Koreans are discovering a taste for Instagrammable interiors
- Filipino food banks are accused of communist sympathies
- Water in Bangladesh is either unsafe or pricey
- Australia’s debate about China is becoming hot, angry and shrill
From the May 8th 2021 edition
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