Waste-picking in Bangladesh is the occupation of the poorest of the poor. They are informal group of
people engaged in searching, collecting, sorting, processing and selling of municipal wastes and thus
they earn their livelihood. Almost all the waste pickers had to migrate from rural areas to cities
because of poverty, family crises, climate change effects and natural disasters. According to a study
of Grambangla Unnayan Committee approximately 400,000 people of this country are surviving their
lives through collecting, sorting, recycling, and selling materials where mostly are women and
children (Maksud, 2011). The National 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Strategy for Waste
Management of Bangladesh found that in Dhaka alone, approximately 120,000 urban poor are
involved in the recycling trade chain (Department of Environment, 2009). According to Women in
Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO), (http://wiego.org/informal-
economy/occupational-groups/waste-pickers) there is growing recognition that waste pickers
contribute to the local economy, to public health and safety, and to environmental
sustainability…they often face low social status, deplorable living and working conditions, and little
support from local governments. Though there are a huge number of waste pickers especially
women waste pickers are engaged in waste collection, sorting and recycling sector, but these waste
pickers do not have any robust organization to claim their rights and protect themselves from
ruthless exploitation and deprivation.