Sufferings of city rickshaw-pullers

A second-page news item of the Financial Express on June 28, 2019 revealed findings of a survey report of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS). It was found that the monthly average estimated income of a rickshaw-puller in the capital city is Tk 13,382. It also mentioned that 96 per cent of the pullers ply rented rickshaws at an average daily rate of Tk 111.

The survey stated that rickshaw-pullers face frequent misbehaviour from passengers and police. They are deprived of many human rights and are often victims of discrimination. They are not well aware of their rights and cannot place their demand in an organised way to the authority concerned.

They live in a low-rented slum area and their dress is very poor. They support their family through much hardship. In most of the cases, they do not have their own rickshaws. In all weather-- good and bad, they are seen carrying passengers.

The rickshaw-pullers never care for their health, and pull their rickshaws for maximum hours in a day. Apart from carrying persons, they carry goods like vegetables, and other things in the form of packed or unpacked bundles. It is the dark side of our social tradition that a human being has to pull two or three persons to earn livelihood. In this advanced age, when there are various transport facilities, rickshaw pulling is still in existence on a mass level in the country. Hence, the government can support them in the form of loan so that they can purchase auto-rickshaws.

They are seen sleeping on their rickshaws under the trees or sitting idly on their rickshaws. Their life is full of sorrows and sufferings. If they become sick, they cannot drive rickshaws.

Sometimes it is seen some people do not pay reasonable wages to them and start quarrelling in loud voice. We must change our attitude towards these pullers.

No doubt, rickshaw is an environment-friendly green vehicle. But we have not seen any government body being formed till now to make any research on how to upgrade this vehicle and thus improve their life style.

We must feel the rickshaw puller's misery and be a little more lenient towards them. If we do not pay them more than the real wage, it is alright. But we should never underestimate their labour.

Md Zillur Rahaman

Satish Sarker Road

Gandaria, Dhaka

[email protected]