Photograph: Sally HaydenMany families reside in a single room and they all share a communal bathroom area. Photograph: Sally HaydenSweepers clear a drain in an alley. Photograph: Sally HaydenAs the city’s population expands, thousands of sweepers are under pressure to keep it clean and liveable. Photograph: Sally HaydenClose to the Sweeper Colony is an apartment block the city corporation provided to house 170 people involved in sweeping work. Young sweepers earn about 17,000 taka (€120) a month, which can go up to about 30,000 taka (€211) before retirement, they say.

Source: The Irish Times February 16, 2026 15:01 UTC