TDS Desk:

Bangladesh’s labour law bans hazardous work for children, yet many are forced into it to survive.

Though only teenagers or younger, they take on burdens of adults. Some work as helpers on vehicles, others as assistants in hotel kitchens, or as rickshaw pullers and in countless other jobs.

Many of these children spend the entire day on their feet, from morning until late at night, with no opportunity to rest. Weekly holidays are a luxury they do not have. Conversations with working children across Dhaka reveal the harshness of their daily lives.

At Farmgate, 13-year-old Imran, identified with a single name, works as a helper on a “laguna” — a locally made small passenger carrier. From 7am until 11pm, he is on his feet for about 16 hours a day. He moved to Dhaka from Mymensingh with his family three months ago and now lives in Mohammadpur.

“At first I used to get headaches and feel unwell,” he told Hello, the world’s first dedicated Bangla news website for children journalists. “Now I don’t feel it as much.”

He added that even when he is sick, he has no chance to see a doctor or take medicine.

In Dhanmondi, 15-year-old Siraj, who gave a single name, works as a cook’s assistant in a student hostel. Displaced by river erosion, he arrived from Rangpur two and a half months ago. Now he carries the responsibility of cooking three meals a day, standing in front of the stove for hours.

“For three meals, I have to stay by the stove all day,” Siraj said. “After finishing, I feel exhausted. At night my whole body aches.”

Like them, 12-year-old Israfil also toils relentlessly driving a rickshaw in Mohammadpur. Each day, he pedals for 10 to 12 hours.

“At night I feel dizzy, my body hurts. Since I started pulling rickshaws, I had to leave school,” he said.

Under Bangladesh’s labour law, children under 14 cannot be employed. Those aged 12 and above may do light, safe work under certain conditions, but only if it does not harm their health.

A survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics estimates that 1.07 million children nationwide are engaged in hazardous work.

Dr Rajarshi Chakma, a physician, explained the dangers of such labour.

“When children stand for long periods doing heavy or difficult work, they develop back pain, bone problems and long-term health complications. They suffer from malnutrition and mental distress,” he told Hello. “Working in polluted environments harms their lungs and eyes, increases the risk of cancer, and many suffer from depression.