Abdus Shahid, age 11, New
Market Tempo Stand, Dhaka.
"I feel as though I am
flying through the air"
Abdus Shahid, age 11
"My name is Abdus Shahid. I am 11 years old.
I have been working on this tempo for the last
year. I came from Mymensingh. My father is a
fisherman. My stepmother kicked me out from my
home after my mother's death. I came to Dhaka
with my Ustad (driver) Abdus Shiraj, to work. I
have no real brother or sister. My stepbrother
and sisters hate me. I have never been to
school, but they go to school.
I work for
15 or 16 hours a day. I get 20 taka a day (40
pence) for my wages and 12 taka (24 pence) for
my breakfast and lunch. We live in a Basti
beside Tejgaon Railway station.
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When I
grow up I want to be a tempo driver. This is why
I am working here. My Ustad said that if I work
with him he would teach me to drive within a few
years. I really like this work it's great to go
around all over the city standing on the
footboard. I feel as though I am flying through
the air.
I get upset when student
passengers get off without paying their fares.
Then my Ustad gets angry at me. What can I do
about it?
Sometimes I feel exhausted, but
I must stay on in order to survive. There are no
holidays but sometimes on Fridays I work for
half a day and then go to the cinema or watch
Hindi films at the video store or go to the
Stadium to watch football. Sometimes we boys go
the house where someone is getting married.
Perhaps we can have leftover food.
During
hartal (strike) days we do not bring our tempos
on the road. Instead I go out to different
places to see political meetings and
demonstrations, which are really exciting.
Sometimes there is fighting with the police."
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