Moshiur Rahman Selim, Cumilla South 

Taking advantage of the ongoing heatwave, an alarming trend has emerged in Laksam, a major upazila in southern Cumilla, where various establishments are selling bottled and jarred unfiltered water without proper regulations. 

The local administration, particularly the Health Directorate, BSTI, Department of Environment, and Ministry of Labour, appears to be turning a blind eye. These establishments have been operating for a long time without obtaining mandatory licenses or certifications from relevant authorities.

In addition to six or seven water-producing plants in Laksam municipality, several companies are marketing jarred, bottled, and canned water as "pure" without actually filtering or testing it. Some factories are simply bottling water from tube wells and labeling it as arsenic-free and safe, supplying it to various public and private offices in the region.

According to sources, obtaining BSTI approval requires compliance with ISO Guide-65, which mandates automated jar filling and cleaning machines, storage facilities, chemists, air-conditioned laboratory setups, regular worker health checkups, and safety equipment. However, none of these requirements are being met. The area is already suffering from a serious arsenic crisis — nearly 200 villages have been affected, with around 70 facing extreme health hazards. Approximately 98% of tube wells are arsenic-contaminated, and 56% are contaminated with fecal matter.

NGOs have conducted arsenic research in the region, identifying approximately 26,000 arsenic patients in Laksam, 35,000 in Monohorganj, 15,000 in Barura, 18,000 in Sadar Dakshin, 11,000 in Lalmai, and around 20,000 in Nangalkot.

Several local environmental experts have warned that consumers are being deceived into drinking substandard and potentially hazardous water, assuming it to be purified. These companies often lack updated trade licenses, income tax certificates, factory layout plans, process flow charts, lists of installed machinery, employee health documents, environmental clearance, labor ministry certifications, health equipment, premises approvals, BDS compliance, and proper labeling — all of which are legally required.

Despite these violations, the companies continue to operate by allegedly managing local authorities. This poses a serious health threat to hundreds of thousands of people in the region.

Members of local private hospital medical boards have emphasized that such facilities must obtain prior clearance from BSTI and meet all documentation requirements. According to Ordinance-37/85, Section 24, all products including water must be certified, and CM certification is essential for water marketing.

As per national standards, each liter of water must contain: pH: 6.4 to 7.4, TDS: 260 mg, Cadmium: 0.003 mg, Lead: 0.01 mg, Chloride: 250 mg, Nitrate: 3.5 mg, Arsenic and Cyanide: Not acceptable

According to WHO guidelines: Arsenic: 0.05 mg , Calcium: 75 mg , Chloride: 200 mg , Cadmium: 0.005 mg , Copper: 1 mg , Fluoride: 1 mg , Iron: 0.1–0.3 mg , Lead: 0.05 mg ,  Mercury: 0.001 mg , Magnesium: 30–50 mg , Manganese: 0.05 mg, Nitrate: 10.45 mg , pH: 7–8.5, Sulfate: 200 mg, TDS: 500 mg, Total Hardness: 100 mg, Zinc: 5 mg

The reported bottled waters are not treated to remove dangerous substances such as nitrate, arsenic, and cyanide. These facilities lack quality control labs and trained personnel, making their water anything but safe. Even if bacteria are removed, the levels of lead, iron, fluoride, and arsenic are often unchecked and exceed acceptable limits.

Repeated attempts to contact relevant district and upazila officials for comment were unsuccessful. However, consumer responses have been mixed, with growing concern over this unchecked and hazardous practice.