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Tempo Boy |
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THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS Tempo boys tend to come from the poorest sections of society. Many have had to leave home for economic or other reasons. They may be the only working members in destitute families. They may have run away from a difficult family situation. They are often recruited from the ranks of the tokai (the homeless children) on the streets of the cities of Bangladesh. Some still live with their parents, often in basti (squatter settlements) along the railway tracks or near the railway stations where they do not have to pay rent. Their parents may work as domestic servants, kitchen porters or pull rickshaws or beg for a living. The boys work every day from early in the morning until late at night (15 hours a day) and up to seven days a week if their health holds out. At about 2pm each afternoon the boys get a 20-minute break for a quick lunch. They have to work to survive. Some boys are too weak to work regularly, having become chronically ill from malnutrition and overwork. |
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