No stigmatisation of odd jobs, please!

Alongside their studies, many students in Bangladesh are now working as part-timers in an array of sectors including freelancing, food delivery, ride-sharing, restaurant, fashion house, tutoring and more. These jobs are not only giving them financial independence but also providing them valuable experience of working under an organisation. However, there still seems to be an intense and deep-rooted stigmatisation of working as a student. The part-timers are often subjected to disrespectful behaviour while working.
This stigmatisation is almost non-existent in the first world countries. In the USA, young adults are encouraged to take on part-time jobs alongside their academics. More importantly, there are not any negative connotations associated with working odd jobs. In Bangladesh, working as a tutor seems to be acceptable. But working as waiters or ride-share drivers is still associated with a negative image. We all should realise the value of works. As a rapidly growing nation, it is instrumental for us to not only focus on developing our economy, but also on improving our social notions.

Mutasim Labib Rahman,
Student of North South University, Dhaka,
mutasim.rahman@northsouth.edu