E coli found in drinking water used by 85% of household members: BBS survey
Over one-third of young children have elevated lead levels
Drinking water used by 85% of household members in Bangladesh was contaminated with E coli at the point of consumption, a new survey has found.
The finding comes from the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025 report, published online yesterday by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), according to a press release.
Titled "Progotir Pathey", the survey was conducted by BBS with Unicef.
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Despite 98.6% of the population having access to at least basic drinking water, water safety remained a major concern. Basic handwashing services were available to 68.6% and basic sanitation to 72.9%.
The survey also found elevated blood lead levels in 38.4% of children aged 12-59 months, with the rate considerably higher in urban areas and among those living near industrial and lead-related activities.
For the first time in a Bangladesh MICS, it collected extensive evidence on blood lead levels and other heavy metals among young children and pregnant women.
The under-five mortality rate declined to 33 deaths per 1,000 live births from 39 during the period 10-14 years before the survey. However, neonatal mortality stood at 22 per 1,000 live births.
Around 71% of recent births took place in health facilities. The rate ranged from 52.6% among women in the poorest wealth quintile to 86.9% among those in the richest.
Only 59.2% of children under five had their births registered. Among children aged 7-14, 50.2% demonstrated foundational reading skills, with girls outperforming boys by 54.5% to 45.6%.
The survey found that 9.1% of children aged 5-17 were engaged in child labour under the MICS and Sustainable Development Goal definition. The rate was higher among poorer and out-of-school children.
MICS 2025 covered 3,149 primary sampling units and 62,980 sampled households. Interviews were completed in 61,207 households, producing a response rate of 99.6%.
It provides nationally and internationally comparable estimates at national, urban-rural, divisional and district levels, as well as for Dhaka North, Dhaka South and Chattogram city corporations.
The report presents 173 indicators, including 27 linked directly to the Sustainable Development Goals, covering health, nutrition, education, child protection, birth registration, child labour, child marriage, water and sanitation, social protection, disability and reproductive agency.
BBS said the findings would support targeted planning, equitable resource allocation and monitoring by government agencies, local authorities, development partners, researchers and civil society organisations.
