A worker laying fabrics out to dry after dye was applied to them, at a dye factory in Narayanganj, Bangladesh, yesterday.

Textile mills and dye houses in Bangladesh - as well as in countries such as China and India - have posed a serious threat to the environment, as toxic chemicals are often released in the wastewater from such factories. Workers and people living close to factories often bear the brunt of the pollution.

The Bangladesh government is, however, taking more steps to address the issue, including imposing fines on polluters, monitoring water quality, updating conservation and environmental laws and setting up centralised treatment plants.

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