
Shabuz, age 7,
at Tempo Stand, Farm Gate, Dhaka. |
"I think I'll go back
to selling ice cream"
Shabuz, age 7
“My name’s Shabuz. I am 7 years old. I have been
working here for the last three months. I work
on different tempos at different times. We tempo
boys often get a cough and lose our voices. For
instance the boy who is supposed to work here
today is ill with a cough and fever, so I am
working in his place. The same thing will happen
to me at least once a week. I need to take a
rest to recover for two to three days, I don’t
go to the doctor for treatment – I don’t have
the money. Instead I take strong tea with ginger
as medicine.
I earn 20 to 25 taka (40 to
50 pence) a day, depending on my Ustad’s
generosity. I also get 5 taka in the morning for
my breakfast and 10 taka in the afternoon for
lunch. I work here from 6 am to 10 pm or later.
Every day after work I give my wages to my
mother to buy food for us.
I used to live
in Barishal with my parents and five children.
About six months ago our home was destroyed by
the river. We became landless. We came to Dhaka
to look for work and housing. On the way we had
to spend two days without food in Tejgaon.
Now we are living in a Basti near Green
Road. Now my dad works pulling telagari
(handcarts). He insisted that we went to work
too. My mum works as a domestic servant. My
elder brother is about 10. He has also worked as
a tempo boy for the last four months. My elder
sister married about two years ago.
When
I first starting working I used to sell ice
cream in the front of different schools in Green
Road and Kalabagan for about three months. I
used to get 5 to 10 taka a day in this trade. I
have left that job now because now it is winter
– off-season for the ice cream. Anyway the money
I earned was not enough. My father pressured me
to work on a tempo, so I could earn more money
like my brother. He said he was unable to
maintain the family. But I think I’ll go back to
selling ice cream in the summer. It’s tough work
on a tempo, but it’s the best paid work around.
I’ve never been to school. I’d like to go
but my parents couldn’t afford it. We need money
to support our family. I know I could be a big
officer and could buy a big house if I could go
to school. I used to go to Masjid (mosque) to
learn Arabic but I left when I started working
on the tempo. My younger brother and sisters
still go to Masjid.”
|
|