"Water is life" in Bangladesh. Based on five scholars' long-term involvement with water development projects and programs in eight districts, this book introduces the reader to the vast range of meanings that water has in this South Asian country, where ordinary villagers struggle daily for access to safe supplies. Mythology and language of South Asia and the greater Bengali speaking area provide a rich cultural foundation for villagers' views of water -- its qualities, its health...
More Description"Water is life" in Bangladesh. Based on five scholars' long-term involvement with water development projects and programs in eight districts, this book introduces the reader to the vast range of meanings that water has in this South Asian country, where ordinary villagers struggle daily for access to safe supplies. Mythology and language of South Asia and the greater Bengali speaking area provide a rich cultural foundation for villagers' views of water -- its qualities, its health effects, and its spiritual powers. Large parts of the region face the additional and daunting challenge of arsenic in the water supply. Public reactions to this serious health problem are explored in depth. This book can help to sensitize development professionals to the ways that that pre-existing cultural frameworks influence people?s understandings and uses of new ideas and technologies. The authors aim to throw light on new ways for technically oriented development workers to engage with the social context -- local people, folk beliefs, and history.