Childhood on Four Wheels

Bipul K Debnath

Salim is seven or eight years old. Do you know what he does? Yes, it is only right that a kid his age must be going to school and playing with his classmates.  But luck does not go in his favour.
Salim works as an assistant of the driver on a Malibagh-Basabo bound laguna to meet his daily needs. His entire day remains busy dealing with passengers, standing on the stairs of the laguna. Sometimes, he has to run after the vehicle because the driver starts racing as soon as the passengers get down.
William Blake, an English poet and painter, felt sad and sympathy for working kids in his famous poem ‘Chimney Sweeper’ from Songs of Innocence’ in 1789. In his poem, he depicts the condition of the small children who were used to clean the insides of industrial chimneys. It was a brutal practice and extreme abuse of underprivileged kids. Now in this modern age, children are facing the same dreadful experience daily. Their condition is mostly deteriorating in the city areas. A few days back, this writer happened to meet some children who work as helpers of laguna drivers in the capital.
Laguna is a four-wheel minivan running inside the capital to carry passengers. Most of the assistants of the drivers are children aged 7-10. According to our law on child labour, it is illegal to employ children as assistants of drivers. But in most of the cases, it is seen ignored.
“I come at 8am and stay at my work till 11pm. I get Tk30 per trip. And so I earn Tk 200-250 per day,” Salim said near the Malibagh bus stop.
“I have been working as an assistant of the driver for two years. By doing this work I can manage my needs and also help my family near Nimtoly,” said nine-year-old Maqbul with a tired face.
Rifat, another laguna assistant, shared: “Once I was a student of class two. And I had many classmates with whom I used to play games. But later, my days were changed. My elder brother told me to join him as an assistant of his laguna. Sometimes, he gives me the key of the laguna and I hope within two years, I will be a driver like him.”
According to the drivers and owners association, there are about 800 lagunas running in the capital.
“Lagunas are small vehicles, and children can move, jump or work on it easily. That is why they are the first choice for the job,” said Milon, a laguna driver, explaining why they employ kids as their assistants.
“Most of the passengers feel sympathy for them because of their tender age. They do not argue when paying the fare. But few sometimes use abusive words if the kids fail to get them down at their desired place,” Nazrul, another laguna driver, said about the attitude of  passengers towards the child assistants.
It is marked highly risky for under-18 children to work as assistants of drivers in the Child Labour Act 2013.  Monitoring by the authorities must be stepped up to stop children working as  helpers of lagunas. 

Photos: Internet

Childhood on Four Wheels

Bipul K Debnath Salim is seven or eight years old. Do you know what he does? Yes, it is only right that a kid his age must be going to school and playing with his classmates. But luck does not go in his favour. Salim works as an assistant of the driver on a Malibagh-Basabo bound laguna to meet his daily needs. His entire day remains busy dealing with passengers, standing on the stairs of the laguna. Sometimes, he has to run after the vehicle because the driver starts racing as soon as the passengers get down. William Blake, an English poet and painter, felt sad and sympathy for working kids in his famous poem Chimney Sweeper from Songs of Innocence in 1789. In his poem, he depicts the condition of the small children who were used to clean the insides of industrial chimneys. It was a brutal practice and extreme abuse of underprivileged kids. Now in this modern age, children are facing the same dreadful experience daily. Their condition is mostly deteriorating in the city areas. A few days back, this writer happened to meet some children who work as helpers of laguna drivers in the capital. Laguna is a four-wheel minivan running inside the capital to carry passengers. Most of the assistants of the drivers are children aged 7-10. According to our law on child labour, it is illegal to employ children as assistants of drivers. But in most of the cases, it is seen ignored. I come at 8am and stay at my work till 11pm. I get Tk30 per trip. And so I earn Tk 200-250 per day, Salim said near the Malibagh bus stop. I have been working as an assistant of the driver for two years. By doing this work I can manage my needs and also help my family near Nimtoly, said nine-year-old Maqbul with a tired face. Rifat, another laguna assistant, shared: Once I was a student of class two. And I had many classmates with whom I used to play games. But later, my days were changed. My elder brother told me to join him as an assistant of his laguna. Sometimes, he gives me the key of the laguna and I hope within two years, I will be a driver like him. According to the drivers and owners association, there are about 800 lagunas running in the capital. Lagunas are small vehicles, and children can move, jump or work on it easily. That is why they are the first choice for the job, said Milon, a laguna driver, explaining why they employ kids as their assistants. Most of the passengers feel sympathy for them because of their tender age. They do not argue when paying the fare. But few sometimes use abusive words if the kids fail to get them down at their desired place, Nazrul, another laguna driver, said about the attitude of passengers towards the child assistants. It is marked highly risky for under-18 children to work as assistants of drivers in the Child Labour Act 2013. Monitoring by the authorities must be stepped up to stop children working as helpers of lagunas. Photos: Internet