Garbage Management Workers: Many still left unprotected

A large number of garbage management workers in the capital have been working without any protective gear, putting themselves at grave risk of contracting coronavirus and other diseases.

Though a section of workers have received personal protective equipment (PPE) from the authorities concerned or from non-government organisations, many others are still doing without.

Those involved in door-to-door collection of household waste are mainly under severe risk -- either they are not equipped with protective gears or do not want to use these as they feel uncomfortable, according to workers.

Around 2,500 garbage management workers are under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and around 5,400 work under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC).

Around 4,000 more work in garbage collection for the DNCC and several thousand for the DSCC contractually, but they are not employees of the two city corporations.

Md Jasim, 35, said he collects garbage from different houses and apartments at Ibrahimpur, Mirpur, from 7:30am to 4:00pm every day.

"Every day, I return home with fear of coronavirus as I do not use any protective gear," said Jasim, who has not been provided with protective gear so far.

Islam Uddin, a worker in Farmgate, too said he has not received any protective gear till now.

"I work in fear of coronavirus as I work with my bare hands. I don't know where I have to go for tests or treatment if my family or I unfortunately get infected with the virus," said Islam, who lives with his wife and children in Dhaka.

"My wife, a garment worker, does not want me to continue this work due to the risks. But we do not have any other choice, as she is out of a job for the past few months."

Rafiqul Islam, a DNCC garbage management worker who works at Indira Road in Farmgate said he received PPE and other safety gears. But he does not use it most of the time as he feels uncomfortable working in it.

Mohammad Omar Faruk, 22, who has been working as a cleaner for the last 15 years said he also does not feel comfortable using PPE, gloves and a mask while working.

He said he has tried to work using these but ends up feeling exhausted.

Prof Mujibur Rahman, head of department of medicine at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said cleaners will have to use thick plastic gloves and masks as a must to avoid coronavirus infection.

If they do not use safety gears like gloves and masks, they will not only be at risk of coronavirus but also of other diseases, he said.

Commodore M Monzur Hossain, DNCC's chief waste management officer, said two-thirds of their 2,500 waste management workers have been given PPE.

"We are also trying to provide PPE to the rest," he said.

Other protective gears like gloves and masks were distributed to all and gumboots were given to those who are directly involved in the collection and disposal of waste, he added.

Though they have provided many workers with protective gear, he said, many do not want to use it and so, DNCC is trying to motivate the workers to adopt it while working.

There are also around 4,000 garbage management workers, involved in door-to-door collection, who are appointed by private organisations.

About these workers, Monzur said, the DNCC has asked their respective employers to provide them with protective gears, and they are monitoring this.

Air Commodore Badrul Amin, DSCC's chief waste management officer, said the DSCC has provided masks and gloves to all of their 5,400 workers and will also be distributing PPE to the workers shortly.

These workers are not habituated with using protective gear, which is why they do not want to use it. The DSCC is trying to motivate them to use it, he added.