The study also said that 90 percent DCC women cleaners are deprived of any sort of education.

Dhoritri Foundation conducted the study at a colony of DCC sweepers near Gabtali Bus Stand between June 1 and June 30.

The results of the study were revealed at a roundtable at National Press Club in the city yesterday.

ActionAid Bangladesh and Dhoritri Foundation jointly organised the roundtable titled 'Human rights and social justice of DCC women cleaners'.

The study also revealed that children of the cleaners are badly treated by their fellow students and even by their schoolteachers, which is why most of the cleaners spoke for setting up separate schools for their children.

Quoting the study, Executive Director of Dhoritri Foundation Adan Islam said since the sweepers work under the master rule (no work, no pay), what they get from DCC is too insufficient to maintain their family.

For a better living, most of the workers want to engage themselves in other businesses, but they do not have access to loan or grant. A loan of Tk 15000- 20000 can bring a change in their life, said the sweepers who provided information for the study.

Adviser for Women, Children and Social Welfare Ministry Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury said, "We need to think about the security of the sweepers at the workplaces, ensure healthcare facilities and make arrangement for their children's education".

Admitting that the government alone cannot solve their problem with the limited resources at its disposal, she urged the experts to prepare a proposal for their development that the government could implement if possible.

Emphasising the need for their engagement in better income generation process, Chairman of University Grant Commission Prof Nazrul Islam said that if the cleaners get handsome remuneration for their job, they would eat better, live better and their children would get better education.

She also said that as they are DCC employees, they should be granted maternity leave as per government rule.

President of Dhoritri Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed chaired the programme while editor of Acting Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh Syed Naushad Ahmed, Education Adviser to Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Prof Salina Mohsin and Executive Director of Shakti Foundation Dr Humaira Islam also spoke.