Bangladesh uses signs in Arabic in an effort to cut down on public urination

But the Bangladesh religious affairs ministry’s recent decision to erect new signs in Arabic has had a marked effect, despite most Bangladeshis being unable to read the language.

For most in the mainly-Muslim country, Arabic is sacred because it is the language their holy book, the Holy Quran, was revealed in.

“This campaign has received a great positive response so far,” Anwar Hossain, a ministry spokesman, told AFP. “Bangladeshi people respect Arabic and we’ve just utilised that.”

A two-minute video against public urination that promotes the new Arabic signs has gone viral in Bangladesh since it was uploaded onto social media earlier this week.

A group of people are shown approaching a public wall, but then jump back for fear of committing a sin when they see the Arabic sign against peeing in public. -AFP