PHOTO: S DILIP ROY

Thousands of people make a living through the stone crushing trade near the Burimari land port in Lalmonirhat and Sonahat land port in Kurigram. With little alternative employment opportunities in the localities, they toil for around eight hours for a daily wage of Tk 400 to Tk 500, despite the risk of silicosis, a lung disease resulting from the deposit of crystalline silica dust in the respiratory tract. There are more than 1,000 stone mobile stone crushing machines running near the two land ports, with each engaging around 15 to 25 workers. The photo was taken near the Burimari land port recently.