Kidney disease is on the rise in coastal communities, where some have no choice but to drink and cook with contaminated water.. The consumption of saline water in coastal Bangladesh has long been associated with various health risks, including hypertension, respiratory problems and pre-eclampsia, but its effect on kidney health remains relatively unknown.
Thaslima Begum in Khulna
Shadows dance across large, concrete chambers while the sound of dripping water echoes in the distance. A rusty metal staircase leads up to an empty water tower overlooking Bangladesh’s mighty Rupsha River. This water treatment plant was once a beacon of hope for the community; today the site lies abandoned, the only sign of life the daily activity of its resident caretaker, Sayed Ahmed.
Commissioned by the local government division for rural development to recycle contaminated water, the plant on the outskirts of the city of Khulna was designed to supply fresh water to 5,000 people. When construction began in 2005, Ahmed was offered employment as a security guard.
“I was excited when I first got the job,” he says. “The new water plant was the talk of the town and everyone was hopeful about the benefits it would bring.” But the project stalled in 2010 – due to high costs and internal politics, according to an engineer involved who did not want to be named – and shortly afterwards, everybody left. Only Ahmed remained; he has been guarding the derelict site for nearly two decades.
The site has since been handed over to Khulna City Corporation which did not respond to requests for comment. As their children grew up and moved out, Ahmed and his wife, Amena Khatun, enjoyed spending their afternoons down by the river, watching the world go by. But six months ago, their quiet life was turned upside down…..
After the truth-shower 