Life for most Bangladeshis is seriously tough and downtown Dhaka shows it all. The buildings are worn, the streets are clogged with traffic and rickshaws; everywhere people try to eke out a basic living. A brief trip on the Buriganga River offers a wide enough glimpse: the water is opaque and virtually black from chemical and human pollution. A huge, dusty produce market flourishes on one side while, nearby, shipyard workers hammer away rust, re-paint and weld the aging metal on a flotilla of ships. As boats and ferries criss-cross the river, locals swim and wash near the shoreline.