Safe Drinking Water Crisis and its Consequences on the Kaliganj Upazila, Satkhira

A Qualitative Assessment of Nobo Jatra Project

Abstract

For a long time, the people of south-western Bangladesh, particularly the residents of Kaliganj, Satkhira have
been suffering from a safe drinking water crisis. This study tries to look into the actual safe drinking water crisis
and its consequences on the Kaliganj Upazila as well as the assessment of the role of the Nobo-Jatra Project
(NJP) in mitigating the crisis and finding a sustainable solution based on both primary and secondary sources
of data. This study followed a qualitative approach to uncover exploratory issues of the respondents' bitter
experiences and opinions related to the safe drinking water crisis and its socio-economic and health
consequences in the Kaliganj Upazila. The majority of residents in the study area lack access to safe drinking
water. They are frequently affected with illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, gastric, jaundice, and
arsenicosis, and they suffer economic and social losses as a result. Nobo-Jatra Project (NJP) is contributing to
ensure the sustainable solution to the safe drinking water crisis in the study area through their different kinds of
initiatives like the installation of water points by using modern water technology, capacity building, and
management & monitoring. Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) is also working to ensure
safe drinking water in the study area. Despite various initiatives taken by NJP and DPHE, there is still some
shortage of safe drinking water in Kaliganj Upazila and more initiatives need to be taken in this regard. DPHE's
capacity in terms of manpower and technology is now restricted, and it should be expanded as quickly as
possible. As per the respondent’s opinion, The NJP should be continued for several more years, or a monitoring
cell should be established on behalf of World Vision Bangladesh to monitor and manage the project's initiatives
to ensure the sustainability of NJP contributions. The government, non-governmental organizations, and local
communities should work together to address the safe drinking water crisis immediately. A coordinated and
integrated approach needs to be incorporated into the future sustainable water policy.