Works of mason in Bangladesh

In our country poor, uneducated and little learning people are very laborious. Some people have no education but using their idea and getting practical lesson from their master they are doing something which is unexpected. They are building up many high rise buildings without being uneducated. Yes, I am talking about them who are mason.

One of them is Mohammad Jahidul Islam. His home district is Rajshahi.At the age of 14 , he involved himself in this of work as a laborer. His master’s name is Ashraf. Md. Jahidul’s educational qualification is not mentionable, he studied until class 2.When he was 14, started working under his master and after 3 months he was able to learn the work. From then he was working. He came to Dhaka in 1998.After comeing in Dhaka, now 10 years are going on. When I asked him how you are doing the job without academic education. His answer is that he follows the direction of his engineer and according to his directions he is to work He also said “Actually I have no knowledge, but using my practical experience and by the direction of our engineer, I do all things.” When I asked him how you are selected He said to me,” At first they will observe my work until 3 days, then they select one.” Per day he earns tk200.It is not enough to maintain his family. He has no interest to be educated his two sons, he will gave them in any kind of work for earn. He is happy in his world and thanks God for his simple life sty.

Written and Pictures taken by : Suchitra Roy

Cobbler’s Life from My View in Dhaka City

From my childhood, I saw that man would repair people’s shoes and until now he is doing it. When I asked him about his work, Nitta Babu said,” My work has no value to others, but to me it has more value.” In 1972 he was involved in this work .Now he is 50.His father Manmohan Babu was a farmer. He learnt the deed from his master named Shudananda Babu.He did not get chance to receive education in his childhood. He said to me that he is very restless in his early age and he is the only son of his parents.

For livelihood he came to Dhaka and started the occupation as a cobbler. He has been working for 35 years. He earns tk100 per day and works from 7am to 5pm everyday. He has three sons and one daughter. His two sons work in a garage with their uncle. They have no wish to join his father’s work. His daughter is studying in a school. He told me that one thing gives him hurt that his children get shame to mention his father’s occupation. After finishing his speech, I saw a strange reflection on his face that is mixed up with insulted smile and sorrow. He is struggling to manage the food and drink for his family. In this he is passing the days purposelessly.

Written by Suchitra Roy

Fire Attack in a Graments of Bangladesh

Strong flame playing inside the Garments buildings

Dense Black Smoke covers the hole Garments building

A Tale of a Day Struggled Girl in Dhaka City

story written & picture taken by Taslima Akter

In Dhaka, more than 10 million people live here. We know a little bit of them. But the slum life of Dhaka is miserable. I am going to express something one of them.

In slum of Dhaka city, here are live in lots people who came from the rural village area of Bangladesh. Many of them have come to Dhaka for finding job and to do something of their livelihood. The environment of slum was very dirty. There are no facilities of pure water, well sanitation and suitable living place.

Some days ago, I had gone Khilgaon slum in Dhaka city. Here I talked with a girl Nazma. She is 18 years old. Her home district is Sariyatpur. She has lost her mother when she was 4 years old. After her mother dead her father got married again. Now her father and step-mother don’t communicate with her. Now she lives with her uncle and aunty.

Nazma is illiterate. When I asked about her education, she answered to me she has no any interest on education. What is the benefit of education? No one sent her to school in her childhood, she replied. She has lost her interest about education. Whole day she has worked in her uncle business. She has broken brick all day long. She has no any payment for this work. Alternately her uncle and aunty provide food, cloth and living place.

Lalbag Ford: A historical place of Bangladesh

South Face of Lalbag ford

Tomb of Poribibi inside the Lalbag ford

An old Canon, which has been keept inside the Lalbag ford

South-east Miner of Lalbag ford

A Ordinary but Creative work of Bangladesh

written & the pictures are taken by Suchitra Roy

This button house is his life. He is giving his labour to increase its production and try to acquaint his product. He is Md.Mobarak Hossain Jowel. His village home is in Comilla. He is the youngest son of his parents. After completing his S.S.C, he went to Quarter for searching job. But when he came back from Quarter, He started his wood work as a carpenter. At that time, he would make furniture. One day he met a man who would work in a buying house. That man informed him “you can make the wooden buttons, if you do, I will bring an order for you.” He had an expert carpenter who knew wood work well.

With the help of that carpenter, he started his button house. At first he had two machines, now he has eight machines for making buttons. There are 13 workers in his work shop. Now he is able to supply different types of buttons in varied buying houses as their design. They are collecting these buttons from China . Now they are also showing their interest to his work. The quality of his work is admirable.

Md. Jowel said, “If we get up to date machines, we will be able to supply more as their demand. One thing I want to say that we have used our creativity to make each button. We have to give our labour and creative sense for these.” He is making these buttons with wood, coconut, plastic, chalk, pearl, steel and bones. One problem he has to face that he has work for 6 months and rest of the months there is less work in his shop. “Actually this button house is the result of our laborious work. I think it as my child.” he also informed.

Little Fruit Seller on the Street of Dhaka City

written by Amita Roy

His name is Ali Akbar. At 12 years old, he has started to earn money for his livelihood and maintain his family. His father’s name is Abdul who is a rickshaw puller and mother’s name is Ranu Begum. He has five members in his family. Abdul is the eldest child of his parents. He had got the chance to study until class 4.For his family; he had to leave his school and started to find work for keeping up his whole family. He informed us, he came to Dhaka one and half month before. Now in Dhaka he is living with his uncle. Then his uncle managed a way to earn money and started to sell fruits especially fruit. Selling his fruits, he is earning Tk 3000 per month. With this income he spends some money for himself and sends rest of money for his family. But in his little face one thing has clearly come out that those two eyes want to play in the green field, to go school, to keep his head in his mother’s lap. He says that he always misses his little brothers. He always thinks when he can get the chance to go to his own village where he has grown up with affection and love of his mother and nature.

Life of a Day Labour of Bangladesh

To live in the world is hard for the poor people. They are living hand to mouth. They are giving their energy to build up the civilization. All day long they are working and working sweating head to foot. Abbus Uddin Bapari is like one of them. He is a day labourer. He earns his livelihood giving severe physical labour. He is an uneducated person. He said that he had no chance to be educated. His home district is Barisal. Leaving his family over there, he has been to Dhaka for searching work. Now he earns Tk 250 per day. On the street, he hammers with all his strength to break the hard peach.

What a laborious task! The poor labours of our country eat hand to mouth. They can eat properly. How they will do thi kind of hard work. Yet he is working for his family. Like him, the day labours of our country are giving their strenuous labour for the society, for state and for modern people. But what we see these people are neglected in the society. Abbus has two sons. He wants to educate his sons so that they may not be come to this type of task. He faces a problem when he does not have any work. He is not sure about his future. What will be in the next day, he doesn’t know. Notwithstanding his strenuous labour, he always keeps a smiling face. Really it is interesting.

A handicraft maker of Bangladesh

To support one’s livelihood, one should take a way to earn money. Different people take different ways. He is Mr.Hasan. He is a handicraft maker. About 35 years, he was involved in this profession. These handicrafts are so colourful and excellent. Selling his things, he earns Tk 3000 per month. Their workshop is at Ginzira. He is carrying on his family with this small income. That helps him to earn some money and maintaining his family when people buy his hand made things for their children.

He says when a child buys his colourful handicraft, he sees a heartening smile in that child’s face. That actually gives him boundless pleasure and lessens of his all day long tiredness for an instant.

Pictures of Bangladesh: Life of a Little Street Girl in Dhaka City

Written by Suchitra Roy

Champabati is 12 years old girl and lives in a slum in Dhaka City. At this age, she had to go to school but now she is collecting torn papers from one area to another area of Dhaka City and does it until evening .Then she gathers all the papers and takes her preparation for selling them. She gets a very little profit from it.

During talking with her, she has expressed her secreted regret that she hates to lead this type of life and is to face many problems. She dreams to be educated like other girls who are leading a different type of life, not like her in the society.

Champabati studied before but for her family she was to leave her school. She shows her anger to her father and blames him for her miserable life. Yet she is working all day long keeping a sweet dream in her heart that one day happy day will come for her.

Life of a Rickshaw Puller in Dhaka City of Bangladesh (Rickshaw Puller of Bangladesh

Written by Taslima Akter

Rickshaw is the most important transport of Bangladesh. The driver of risqwa comes from the lower level in Bangladesh society. Many people are driving Rickshaw for livelihood. Almost Rickshaw puller comes from the village of Bangladesh. The village of Bangladesh has no enough job opportunities I want to write something about Rickshaw puller of Bangladesh. I have talked with a Rickshaw puller. His name is Misir Ali.

Miser Ali has born Comilla. He is 72 years old. He has been driving Rickshaw from 1972 in Dhaka city. He got married when he was 22 years old. He is father of 6 sons and one daughter. He has no idea about family planning. Though he has big family but he was happy with his family members.

He is illiterate. He doesn’t know how to read and write. He has to face a lot of problem because of his illiteracy. He wanted to make educated his sons. But they are not interested to go school. His some sons are driving Rickshaw and some are run business. But they are no taking care to him. Every son is got married and they are live separately.

Rickshaw driving is hard work. Now Misir Ali can’t drive Rickshaw like before. He has lost energy to driven. Now he has driven Rickshaw 3-4days in a week. Now he wants to take respite from work. But come in last time in life he has to done hard work for livelihood.

Pohela Boishakh 1414 and Mina Borua’s 25 years

Mina Borua is well known in Bangladesh folk music world. In her 25 years career she achieve the heart of banglee. In her music life she has sung folk song all time.

In Pohela Boishakh 1414, she came to the Shoshu Park pavement under Hrishij Shilpha Gosthi. She sung more folk song in the Poleha Boishakh ceremony.

Fakir Alamgir is another well known figure in Bangladesh folk music world. He was also with her in that program.

Pictures of Dhaka city: Advertisement of Dhaka city (Euro Cola)

This advertisement is given by one of the famous soft drinks company. I took this picture form one of the busiest places in Dhaka City, Malibag. The women in the advertisement is one of the most famous model and arties in Bangladeshi electronic media.

Pictures of Dhaka City: Advertisement of Dhaka city (Djuice)

In Dhaka city, there are many sign board are hanged. Some it looks colorful also attractive lighting in Dhaka City. But this ad is different from all others because its language is different.

In This sign, the sentence is Duniya ta mosto boro. I have told that it is different. Why is it different? The advertisement has written my English script but the sentence is Bangla.

The advertisement is given by Djuice which is the part of Gremeen Phone.

Most Important Flower Market in Dhaka City

In Dhaka City there are more flower market but the most important flower market is Shahbag Market. It is new the Shishu Park (Children Park)

From down to 12PM, The farmers, from different place come to the market and display their various kinds of flowers.

Most of the buyers are the decorate shops owner and the people who are going to arrange different kind of ceremony and festival.

Flower Seller Girl in Dhaka City

Dear viewer you can see a child in the picture. I took the picture from shahabag at 11AM the date was 10 March 2007. After winter the spring has come and the sun become Sitting on the Traffic Island in the hot sun the child was selling the flowers.

In this age she was to go to school and to play with her companion. But she needs to seek her daily food and also for her family.

Chocolate Seller in Dhaka City

Dear viewers, in this picture, you are watching a boy. There is a bowl and some chocolate in there. I took the picture at Pohela Falgun (the first day of spring season). In this day all men and women wore colorful dresses. But the boy has no colorful cloth. Because his life is totally un-ornamented.

Although he has nothing but happy. He is selling the chocolate and enjoying himself. In this day he sold more things he had. So his was happy because he will get more commissions.