Around 1,500 people are living at Harijon Palli at Hatemkhan in the heart of the city, a piece of land where almost all the huts look shabby.

No major development works have been done in the recent past in the colony that was established during the British regime.

Political leaders and NGO workers visit the place like migratory birds only before the election and make a thousand empty promises. However, they don't even think of visiting the place before another election seems inevitable, lamented Bikash and Bipul, two young sweepers of the locality.

The streets and lanes were damaged for want of renovation for years while they have no other alternatives apart from using the polluted water of the only pond for daily usage.

Despite repeated appeals to Rajshahi City Corporation and local ward commissioners, the community are yet to get the least development, alleged Ranak Roy and Kiron Data, also young sweepers.

Most of the youths of this underprivileged community are unemployed, although many of them are educated.

Only 16 unhygienic toilets are available in the colony for about 1,600 people, they alleged adding that four of them are totally unusable.

They drink water supplied by the corporation but the pipes bear a lot of leakages in different places.

The only primary school for the community is seen almost empty with few teachers and students while the families are too reluctant to send their dependents to the school. Rather the parents opt for engaging their children in their ancestral profession, sweeping.

Only the teachers who have been penalised for their misdeeds are usually sent to this school for teaching the children of the sweeper community.

Besides, the mainstream school authorities are reluctant to admit the students of the sweeper community, as they are from the lower cast, alleged Shuvom Chatarjee, president of Rajshahi Underprivileged Children's Council.

Bhola Kumar, a sweeper of the colony, said the rainy season causes them untold sufferings as rain pours in through the shabby and old iron sheets.

The residents of the colony alleged city Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and ward commissioners only assured them of distributing test relief and rehabilitation of their families but their words were never translated into actions.

Bilkis Banu, commissioner of ward-11, expressed her anguish as she failed to change the living standard of the community.

After being elected in 2003, the corporation only allocated her some rice and dates for distributing among the distressed people, she added.

People of this deprived community urged the government to ensure their rehabilitation and the least amenities. They also demanded distribution of the reliefs that have been recovered from the houses and offices of the political leaders.