A factory worker poses for a picture as he carries jeans in Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Employees work inside a factory that washes and dyes textiles in Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Factory workers wash and dry jeans in Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Siddique Hawlader, 45, eats a meal on his boat alongside his fellow ferrymen on the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 29, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. "Those who bathe in this river often suffer from scabies on their skin," said Hawlader, who lives close to the riverbank with his wife and six-year-old daughter. "Sometimes our eyes itch and burn." REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Shanta (L), 19, who has worked in the factory for six months, makes jeans alongside other workers in a factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 29, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Ferryman Siddique Hawlader (2nd-R), 45, rides his boat on the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 29, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. "Those who bathe in this river often suffer from scabies on their skin," said Hawlader, who lives close to the riverbank with his wife and six-year-old daughter. "Sometimes our eyes itch and burn." REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

People cross the Buriganga river by boat near the Sadarghat area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 28, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Ferryman Siddique Hawlader, 45, applies soap as he bathes in the polluted water of the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 28, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. "Those who bathe in this river often suffer from scabies on their skin," said Hawlader, who lives close to the riverbank with his wife and six-year-old daughter. "Sometimes our eyes itch and burn." REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Mohammad Jahid (R), 47, has iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal of Ramadan, on a boat along with other ferrymen, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 27, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. The devastation of areas like Buriganga comes into greater focus in the run-up to Earth Day, when people worldwide celebrate and mobilise in support of protecting the environment. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Ferryman Abdul Karim, 72, performs evening prayer on his boat in the Buriganga river near the Sadarghat area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 27, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

White foam is formed in the water as ferryman Abdul Karim, 72, rides his boat in the Buriganga river near the Sadarghat area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 27, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Nurul Islam, 70, looks over the Buriganga river, where he once used to fish in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 18, 2023. Two decades ago Islam earned his living by fishing in the Buriganga river that flows southwest of the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka and was once its lifeline. Now, with hardly any fish to be found in the 'dead' river, thanks to pollution from widespread dumping of industrial and human waste, Islam now sells street food on a small cart nearby to make ends meet. "Twenty years ago this river water was good. It was full of life," said Islam, whose family has been living on the bank of the river for generations.?"We used to bathe in the river. There were lots of fish... many of us used to earn a living by catching fish in the river. Now the scenario has changed." REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Nurul Islam, 70, and his granddaughter prepare ingredients at their street food cart as they sell fuchka, a type of flatbread snack, beside the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 17, 2023. Two decades ago Islam earned his living by fishing in the Buriganga river that flows southwest of the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka and was once its lifeline. Now, with hardly any fish to be found in the 'dead' river, thanks to pollution from widespread dumping of industrial and human waste, Islam now sells street food on a small cart nearby to make ends meet. "Twenty years ago this river water was good. It was full of life," said Islam, whose family has been living on the bank of the river for generations. "We used to bathe in the river. There were lots of fish... many of us used to earn a living by catching fish in the river. Now the scenario has changed." REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Women dry cattle hides outside of a tannery by the Dhaleshwari river, which feeds into the Buriganga river, in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 7, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Workers dump waste into a landfill located just beside Dhaleshwari river, water from which flows into the Buriganga river, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 7, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. The devastation of areas like Buriganga comes into greater focus in the run-up to Earth Day, when people worldwide celebrate and mobilise in support of protecting the environment. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Dye-coloured water is discharged directly into the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. Bangladesh is the world's second-biggest garment exporter after China but citizens and environment activists say the booming industry is also a major contributor to the ecological decline of the river. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Plastics and other waste blocks the flow of water from nearby canals that are connected to the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

White foam is formed on the water as boats move through the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A ferryman sleeps on his boat under a mosquito net on the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. The devastation of areas like Buriganga comes into greater focus in the run-up to Earth Day, when people worldwide celebrate and mobilise in support of protecting the environment. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Day labourer Motahar Hossain, 65, takes a bath in the polluted water of the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. The devastation of areas like Buriganga comes into greater focus in the run-up to Earth Day, when people worldwide celebrate and mobilise in support of protecting the environment. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Labourers unload bricks from a trawler on the bank of the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

People wait on a boat to cross the river, as a ferry propeller creates white foam on the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 6, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Children fly kites on the bank of the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 5, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Part of the Buriganga river shrinks into a narrow stream, due to unauthorised occupancy blocking a river channel, in the Kamrangirchar area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 5, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Waste floats in the water of the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 5, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Children roam around an area where sewage water is directly discharged into the Buriganga river in Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 5, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Water, which has been coloured by textile dye and will eventually enter the Turag and Buriganga rivers, flows through a narrow stream in the Mawna Union area, north of Gazipur, Bangladesh, March 2, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. Bangladesh is the world's second-biggest garment exporter after China but citizens and environment activists say the booming industry is also a major contributor to the ecological decline of the river. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Water, which has been coloured by textile dye and will eventually flow through the Labandha, Turag and Buriganga rivers, is released near a paddy field in the Mawna Union area, north of Gazipur, Bangladesh, March 2, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. Bangladesh is the world's second-biggest garment exporter after China but citizens and environment activists say the booming industry is also a major contributor to the ecological decline of the river. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Construction worker Somej Mia, 40, repairs his boat on the bank of the Bangshai river, upstream of the Buriganga river, in the Mirzapur area of Tangail, Bangladesh, March 1, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Tree trunks are stacked in a timber market on the bank of the Bangshai river, upstream of the Buriganga river, in the Mirzapur area of Tangail, Bangladesh, March 1, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

People fish in the Bangshai river with nets, upstream of the Buriganga river, in Tangail, Bangladesh, March 1, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Boys play cricket on land that formed through siltation and the shrinking of the Bangshai river, upstream of the Buriganga river, in Tangail, Bangladesh, March 1, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Buffaloes stand in the Bangshai river, upstream of the Buriganga river, in Tangail, Bangladesh, March 1, 2023. The Buriganga, or the 'Old Ganges', is so polluted that its water appears pitch black, except during the monsoon months, and emits a foul stench through the year. The South Asian nation of nearly 170 million, with about 23 million living in Dhaka, has about 220 small and large rivers and a large chunk of its population depends on rivers for a living and transport. Untreated sewage, by-products of fabric dyeing and other chemical waste from nearby mills and factories flow in daily. Polythene and plastic waste piled on the riverbed have made it shallow and caused a shift in course. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain SEARCH "HOSSAIN BURIGANGA POLLUTION" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY