Bangladesh

In pictures: Unfamiliar faces, familiar hard work

The air is thick with smoke from burning flames, carrying the pungent smell of hot bitumen scattered all around. Sweat drips from sun-scorched bodies onto the heated ground. Amidst the intense heat, workers continue their labour on the repair and construction of the country’s roads.

They have no modern equipment in their hands, nor do they possess any safety gear. Yet, bearing the responsibility of keeping the nation’s roads smooth and functional, they work tirelessly day and night. No one knows their names and most of their faces remain unfamiliar. But beneath every stretch of road lies the mark of their effort. They are the silent soldiers of development, whose sweat drives the nation’s progress forward.

This photo story, captured in Sreeghat, Bagerhat, depicts the dedication of these road workers:

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A worker feeding fuel into the furnace.
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Mixing stones with bitumen.
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Working amidst heavy smoke and dust.
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A woman worker smiling despite the rush of work.
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Molten bitumen being taken for mixing with stones.
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Workers engrossed in their respective tasks.
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Labourers using pieces of sackcloth to hold the hot containers.
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The mixture being transferred into a tractor trolley using machinery, to be taken to the rural road construction or repair site.
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Carrying stones, a strenuous task.
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Sweat dripping from a worker’s body.
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