TDS Desk:

At dawn, the brick kilns wake up, so do the women. Jamila Begum, Bulbuli Begum and Sunetra Rani arrive early. Their feet sink into black dust. Their lungs fill with smoke.

The work begins before the sun rises high. They shovel coal and carry bricks, feed the burning mouths of fixed chimneys. They do the same work as men, sometimes more. Yet, at the end of the day, the numbers betray them.

A woman earns Tk 400 to 500, while a man earns Tk 600 to 800. The gap is wide and old. Sometimes it is accepted as fate. This is not just about money. It is about power and about whose labour counts and whose does not.

The kilns are dangerous places. Black smoke curls into the air. Fine coal dust floats everywhere. It settles on the skin, enters noses, eyes, and lungs. Women cough constantly. Their chests feel tight. Breathing becomes a struggle. Many complain of headaches, dizziness, and burning eyes. Long-term exposure brings asthma and chronic respiratory disease.

There is no safety gear at the kilns. No masks, gloves or medical support. Most women don’t even know about the long-term damage that the dust and smoke are causing inside their bodies. When they fall sick, they stop working. When they stop working, the wages stop too. There is no compensation, no maternity protection, no sick leave. In a system where profit rises brick by brick, women’s lives remain uncounted, unprotected and easily replaced.

For women workers, the day does not end at the kiln. They return home at dusk, and their bodies ache. Coal dust sticks to their hair and skin. After a quick wash, they light another fire. This time, the kitchen fire. They cook for their families and serve everyone.

Often, they do not eat properly themselves. Coal dust has already crept inside their bodies; as a result, their appetite disappears. Hunger stays silent, and this double burden is invisible. Paid work outside, while unpaid work inside.

Brick kilns run on cheap labour, and women pay the highest price with their health, dignity and stolen wages. The bricks build cities, flyovers, homes and even dreams. But behind every brick stands a woman breathing fire, earning less and carrying more than her share.