Sikendar, a fisherman, catches Taki Mach, a tough fish that thrives in polluted water. He said, "No it's not difficult to sell these fish. Water is polluted, but not fish. They are fresh fish from the river. When you eat, you can see fresh and white meat."

River Buriganga, one of the most important and major rivers in Bangladesh, is now severely polluted. Dhaka's 12.6 million people produce about 3,200 tons of solid waste daily. Approximately 80% of the city's sewage, in addition to over 40,000 tons of untreated tannery waste, is released directly into the river daily. Thousands of people who live on the bank of the river continue to use this highly contaminated water from river to wash, bath and even to drink.

Due to intense human activities, including enormous industrial waste, the river has become so polluted that water has turned pitch black and has a glue-like consistency.

A young girl sits on broken wall inside an informal glue factory whether workers process waste leather to make glue in Hazaribagh area near Buriganga river in Dhaka.

Most industries based in urban area in Bangladesh pollute environment but leather tanneries probably do the worst damage. Hazaribagh, Dhaka's biggest leather processing industrial zone, is right in the middle of one of the most densely populated residential area.

Sitting near a communal hand pump in her slum in Dhaka, Munni (9 years old) washes dirty dishes.

Like thousands of women and children, she too survives on resources from Buriganga. To support her family, she scavenges for metal on a dumpsite on the bank of river. She has three sisters and one brother. Her father died recently in a boat accident. Her mother works six days a week and earns Taka 400 /week ($7).

Munni's mother Sofia Begum said, "Only I know how I manage to feed my children. Often just to feed them plain rice with salt and onion, I have to borrow money from my neighbors. School? Education is not for poor people like us."

Buriganga River. Dhaka. Bangladesh.

Noorun Nehar (15 years old) looks through a curtain hole of a battery-recycling workshop. Like thousands of other women and children, she too survives by recycling waste on the bank of Buriganga. She is only 15 years and has been breaking batteries since last three year. She earns Taka 300/week (about $4)

Godhara Ghat on the bank of Buriganga River. Dhaka. Bangladesh.

A minor girl child, daughter of a prostitute, amongst the clients in the back ground and a passer by prostitute in the foreground. Growing up in a brothel environment doesn't leave children here with much options and usually turns them into young prostitutes.

Both smiling, a commercial sex worker kisses another on the cheek, an uncommon public display of affection in Bangladesh. Kandupatti Brothel. Dhaka.

A girl drags smoke from a cigarette, while other shouts at her. Emotions runs high amongst the women in Kandupatti brothel in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Taking shelter from the rain under an awning, a young girl enjoying a rare moment of intimacy with one of her regular client on the roof of Kandupatti brothel in Dhaka.

Treating it as an ordinary balloon, a young boy blows a used condom by blowing air into it, outside a battery recycling workshop near Tanki Ghat by river Buriganga on the outskirts of Dhaka in Dhaka district.

The environment in and around the workshop is full of carbon dust and other waste. Children play in the factory area until they are tired and ready to sleep. Most children have chest and eyes infection. Environment is so polluted, most children suffers from one or the other kind of infections all the time. Some even have streaks of blood coming out of their noses all the time.

There are hundreds of other informal factories and workshops inside and on the outskirts of the city of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The industry employs thousands of women and children. All day long women and children break used batteries to get reusable parts and tiny pieces of metal out of them. Once separated, these materials are sent to battery manufacturing factories and workshops that either reuse them or melt them to make other useful materials.

While breaking used batteries or even playing, children inhale millions of fine carbon dust particles from the batteries throughout the day. Depending on how much work they do, each of them get between 5-15 Taka per day (US$ 1.00 = Taka 60). It takes a young child 4-12 days to earn just one US dollar.

Women and children in these workshops face some of the worst condition of life anywhere in the world. None of the children go to school. Although they work hard and need nutritious food, they hardly eat much. It’s amazing that they still look happy and manage to crack a smile every now and then.

A woman holds her child, blackened by carbon dust. His nose bleeds due to infections caused by exposure to dust and pollution during play in the workshop in Korar Ghat by on the outskirts of Dhaka. Many women bring their children along so they can look after them while working. The environment in and around the workshop is full of carbon dust and other waste. Children play until they are tired and ready to sleep. Most children have chest and eyes infection. Environment is so polluted, most children suffers from one or the other kind of infections all the time.

There are hundreds of other informal factories and workshops inside and on the outskirts of the city of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The industry employs thousands of women and children. All day long women and children break used batteries to get reusable parts and tiny pieces of metal out of them. Once separated, these materials are sent to battery manufacturing factories and workshops that either reuse them or melt them to make other useful materials.

While breaking used batteries or even playing, children inhale millions of fine carbon dust particles from the batteries throughout the day. Depending on how much work they do, each of them get between 5-15 Taka per day (US$ 1.00 = Taka 60). It takes a young child 4-12 days to earn just one US dollar.

Children in these workshop face some of the worst condition of life anywhere in the world. None of the children go to school. Although they work hard and need nutritious food, they hardly eat much. It’s amazing that they still look happy and manage to crack a smile every now and then.