Feni, April 13 -- An alarming crisis of fresh water has gripped Feni, with more than 1.67 lakh tube wells across the coastal district running dry amid intense heat and prolonged drought.

Tens of thousands of residents without access to safe drinking water, posing serious public health risks and threatening agricultural output.

According to the Feni District Public Health Engineering Department (DPHED), water is unavailable in 1,67,386 tube-wells due to the underground water layer dropping significantly. The crisis has intensified in several upazilas where around 70% of tube-wells have stopped producing water, and locals are being forced to fetch water from distant sources or consume unsafe water from ponds and ditches-leading to outbrea...