Women walk kilometres daily for water, losing time and risking harm
Forty-five-year-old Shefali Bibi of Datinakhali village in Satkhira's Shyamnagar spends her mornings pulling fishing nets and collecting grass from a nearby pond. Constantly exposed to its saline water, which she also uses for bathing and household chores, she now suffers from a full-body rash.
"I have no other option. I can't sleep at night from the itching. I try not to drink more than a glass of water even when I am thirsty. This shortage of water and the salinity are killing us day by day," she said.
Three years ago, Shefali underwent a uterine operation. Since then, she has been battling fatigue, vertigo, and loss of appetite -- conditions her doctors link to water quality.
The nearest source of drinking water is around three kilometres from her home. High salinity has made river and groundwater unusable, forcing families to rely on stored rainwater or travel long distances. A few water filters exist in the area, but women like Shefali spend hours queuing to collect water.
Hundreds of women face the same ordeal, often resorting to saline river water that worsens health problems.
Shefali's daughter-in-law Rina suffers from a waterborne skin disease, the infections so severe they nearly caused tissue to rot -- treatment far beyond the family's means.
Masuma, another resident, walks nearly two kilometres each day for drinking water, losing hours she could have spent earning.
Rising salinity in Bangladesh's southwest has become one of the gravest public health threats, and its impact falls hardest on women.
Participatory Research and Action Network (Praan), a non-profit organisation that works to combat poverty and promote sustainable development through participatory action research, reports that shrinking freshwater sources are pushing saltwater into rivers, ponds, and tube wells, turning once-safe water into a daily health hazard.
Women -- particularly those pregnant or breastfeeding -- are most exposed.
Beyond illness, salinity drives time poverty, lost income, physical strain, and safety risks while travelling long distances.
Stress linked to the crisis is also fuelling household conflict and greater vulnerability for women and girls.
Poor and landless families, adolescent girls, and female-headed households are heavily affected. Salinity also reduces fish biodiversity, cutting off a vital protein source and worsening anaemia, already widespread among women.
Praan warns that women's needs are still overlooked in most adaptation projects and calls for gender-responsive safe water and health policies.
The health toll is staggering. A study by Global Health Action, an open access journal, estimates that around 20 million people in coastal Bangladesh are already affected by salinity in drinking water.
The National Library of Medicine, the world's largest biomedical library, links prolonged exposure to cholera, diarrhoea, skin diseases, malnutrition, and hypertension. Pregnant women and children face heightened risks of complications and stunted growth.
"Rising salinity in southwestern Bangladesh is severely endangering health, particularly of pregnant and breastfeeding women," said Dr Monzur-A-Moula, junior consultant at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital and Training Institute.
"Drinking saline water is directly linked to high blood pressure, which significantly raises the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth. Lack of clean water is also reducing sanitation and cooking standards, leading to diarrhoea, malnutrition, and worsening anaemia.
"Women must travel long distances to fetch water, risking exhaustion, injury, and harassment. In coastal areas like Satkhira, water salinity has reached 5-15 grams per litre -- far beyond the WHO guideline of 0.5 grams. High blood pressure among pregnant women is at least three times higher than in non-coastal regions."
As health risks mount, the climate crisis is pushing the problem further inland. Bangladesh, with two-thirds of its land under five metres above sea level, faces intensifying saline intrusion, particularly in the southwest.
Studies warn that freshwater zones may vanish entirely in Barguna, Jhalakathi, Khulna, and Patuakhali, while over 90 percent of freshwater could be lost in Pirojpur, Bagerhat, and Barishal.
Satkhira's Deputy Commissioner Mostak Ahmed said, "There are areas, including Shyamnagar, where saline levels are out of control. But the government and NGOs are working together to resolve the issue. We're monitoring the condition regularly.
"Very recently, the Climate Change Trust proposed a Tk 45-crore project to combat salinity. If approved, we can work on a larger scale -- restoring government-owned ponds, creating new ones, and implementing desalination methods to ensure safe access for local communities."
Jannatul Mouwa, executive director of Bindu Nari Unnayan Sangathan, said their work focuses on tackling salinity and its disproportionate impact on women. "We are reviving community-based water systems to reduce the burden on women walking miles for safe water. We're repairing broken pond sand filters and urging the government to reclaim public ponds leased for fish farming. "We also promote community-level reverse osmosis plants. These women-led efforts ensure safe water, with female committees managing filters and addressing gender-based violence risks."
But experts say stronger measures are needed now. Dr Monzur recommended expanding rainwater harvesting, installing deep tube wells, ensuring safe water supply, strengthening maternal healthcare, and raising awareness about saline water dangers.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, stressed the urgency: "Women's health is suffering severely due to this water crisis. Their physical and reproductive health is deteriorating every day, and they face social consequences. Many are abandoned by their husbands and unable to maintain a healthy conjugal life.
"To overcome this situation, we must first acknowledge the problem. Women need strong infrastructural support, and their participation in climate funds must be ensured. Every year, the government undertakes projects to address this crisis, but women are often overlooked."