Still their fate does not change! Live in labor and sweat
Photo: Barta24.com
A heavy load of fish on the head. Sunburned face darkened. Sweat is pouring down. But where is Mohammad Farhad when looking at that? The more fish sacks you carry, the higher the wages will be. And if you get wages, you will get food in the mouth of mother and two brothers!
How old are you - Farhad stopped a little. Sad face. A 16-year-old teenager opened the window of that sadness by getting people. He started saying, 'Though I studied up to class five, I could not continue my studies due to lack of education because I don't have a father. I have two brothers and mother at home. Who will feed them if I do not work? I came to Chattogram from Bhola and started working in a grocery store. But the salary there was low. Even though it is hard to be forced, I have to work for two months in intense heat to load heavy sacks of fish.
Farhad smiled a little while looking at his face. He said, 'I was fairer before coming to work here. Now I'm blackened by the sun.
Not only this teenager, but many such Farhads will be seen if you go to Banglabazar Ghat of Karnaphuli river in Chattogram city. Some are 15, some are 20-25. These teenagers work to load fish by competing with adults every day. Women are also with them. This image seen on Wednesday afternoon is every day.
These workers started running when the Sampans filled with fish crowded the river bank. This is a race for food. Females and juveniles compete with adult males. Different species of fish from the sea are going to the freezer on their heads. Their lives last for twelve months by loading heavy fish encased in cold ice.
Through this ghat of Karnaphuli, all kinds of fish including hilsa, coral, surma and poa from the sea go to the nearby cold store. From that freezer, these fish spread all over the country, even outside the country. And hundreds of workers work to bring down these fish. The sailor takes care of these workers. And 10, 20 or 50 workers work under the leadership of each sailor. Ten workers work to deliver one Sampan's fish to the freezer. In return, everyone gets a wage of 100 taka. This work starts every morning and ends in the evening. Those who have no holidays in the week or month are paid according to the labor they give. They have to fight to get that wage from the sailor!
On the surface it can be seen that two other workers are supporting a worker by handing a bag of fish over his head. In just a few minutes, he is running and putting the sack on his head in the freezer. In the meantime, if you stand or slow down, the sailor will be scolded and scolded.
It is normal to have men between 40 and 60 years of age among these ghat workers. Many women also joined the union due to the scarcity. But the surprising thing is that even teenagers of 10 to 14 years of age are carrying this heavy bag of fish on their heads.
Hathazari resident of Chattogram eleven mile area, dark complexion. Father was a big businessman. But destiny has made Afsar a worker. It's hard to work with age, but stomach won't understand that anymore. That's why he still has to go to work every day.
Highlighting that sadness, Afsar told Barta24.com, 'The price of things including gas and electricity, it is very difficult for us to live at present. My knee hurts, but still have to work. There is no way, the urge to survive has to work. Don't do it - why not get paid as long as I work. If you don't work, you won't get rice in your stomach. Let the government pay attention to us.
Along with men, Munni Begum (30) of Rangpur has been working at this ghat for about three years. When asked, she told Barta24.com, "We don't have any holidays. You have to come to the ghat every morning at 8 o'clock. I am waiting for when the boat or Sampan will come. Carrying a load on the head is a lot of trouble. After working all day, when you go home, your body aches. Our income is not good. Sometimes I earn like Tk. 300, sometimes Tk. 500 a day.'
Idris Majhi of Barishal has been working at this ghat for 18 years. He said, "The workers do not get their fair wages for the hardwork they do." We want the workers to get their money on time.
Sahabuddin, the security worker of the ghat said, "I have been working for the last 5 months. Here, along with the elders, I see small children working with heavy loads on their heads. It is actually a kind of inhuman act. Such is their life. Some day they get 200-300 takas. Again, one day does not get at all, loss of coming to the ghat. If there is a ship, if they work, they get like 500 takas.
Jahed, once a laborer, has now become a sailor. He said, 'Workers are paid 100 taka per Sampan. I manage them and earn as much as a laborer. There is no time for these tasks. Really work with Sampan fish. If not, you have to sit down. It appears that sometime in the morning many sampans bring fish. Sometimes he comes in the afternoon.
They start their day with a bag of fish on their heads. In this way, afternoon turns into evening. The date on the calendar changes when you return home with a body wet with sweat from the whole day. However, their fate does not change! Live in labor and sweat.
