A thriving criminal-political network is in overdrive in the drinking water jar business which is controlled by local leaders of the ruling Awami League, its affiliates and people backed by them.
A recent government study found tap water – which is packaged in jars and barely filtered – puts millions in this megacity at health risk.
Orders from the ‘Bhais’ or influential people, however, are more important than concerns about public health to those running restaurants and other shops that sell the jar water to the unsuspecting consumers.
The retailers say they buy water packaged in jars from the plants of local politicians in order to run their business without any hassle. And the people who have
registered water plants allege even they have to beg for backing from the political leaders to stay in the business.
Officials at Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution BSTI admit they feel ‘helpless’ before the influence of the local politicians.
A government study recently found coliform bacteria in 97 percent of so-called filtered water supplied in jars to households, shops and offices in and around Dhaka.
The presence of these pathogens from faeces of humans and animals in this water drunk by residents means the existence of disease-causing organisms is highly likely.
The Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority itself encourages people to boil tap water before drinking because even though water is safe at the point where it is treated, the problem lies in the network that distributes the water to taps across the city.
Wari Awami League General Secretary Abul Hossain’s water plant is on Radha Sen Street, from where he supplies the restaurants and shops at Kaptanbazar, Nababpur Road, Gulistan and Wari.
Workers at his registered plant were found to clean the jars with detergents, while the machine to clean the jars was found switched off around 12:30pm on Jan 31.
Contaminated water was being filled up from taps into jars instead of using the refiner.
Moreover, there were no label declaring BSTI clearance and date of expiry on the jars.
Owner Abul was not at the plant at the time. Manager Abdur Rahman declined comment and would not give the phone number or address of Abul either.
This news agency managed the number and rang Abul several times for his comment, but he did not take calls.
Bhatara Juba League Organising Secretary Sohel Rana’s firm WaterCom supplies jar waters in Kuril-Joar Sahara area.
The plant is not among the 250 registered with the BSTI.
Besides local leaders of the Awami League, Swechchhasebak League, and Juba League, some of Bangladesh Chhatra League at the Dhaka University are also involved in the business.
Dhaka University’s Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall BCL President Sohanur Rahman and Sir AF Rahman Hall BCL President Hafizur Rahman run the jar water business in Nilkhet and Gausul Azam areas.
The retailers say no other water jars than those from the two BCL leaders make their way to the area.
