Stories about children’s days
Shakib, 17 year old boy
About Shakib’s life
Shakib lives in a single-story tin house of two rooms with his parents and his younger sister. They have access to a shared bathroom and a tap for drinking water. They have electricity and a broadband connection, but the latter is very expensive in relation to their household income.
Shakib left school during the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time his parents moved to Dhaka from Northern Bangladesh, and his father began working as a rickshaw puller.
On 16 March 2023 Shakib was accompanied by a CLARISSA researcher as he went from home to work and to spend time with friends in the evening.
It’s a long working day for Shakib, from 9am until after 6pm with a lot of pressure.
Shakib and his friends talk a lot about, and share ideas on, earning money
I have been working since 9am and now it’s past 6pm. I feel like I have just left jail.
Group of teenage boys
His relief at the end of the day is palpable and Shakib likens leaving work to leaving jail.
Shakib’s friends – both inside and outside of work – are a great comfort to him.
Shakib in his workplace
Shakib works six days a week and earns BDT 8,000 (US $74) per month in a factory. When he first began working there he was part-time but, as he was bored by being at school and wanted to earn more money, he increased to full time. Now Shakib regrets leaving education behind. He feels he can’t return to school as he would have to be in a class with younger students, rather than with his own age group, due to all the time he has missed.
150 people work at the factory. Shakib says that this is a much-reduced number from when he started working there. According to Shakib the factory does not proactively recruit children, but some children who desperately want to work falsify their birthdates.
As the factory is understaffed Shakib and his fellow employees are expected to increase their rate of production to compensate. At times, when there is less pressure, he enjoys the social aspects of work
Outside Shakib’s factory
Shakib’s day
Shakib’s home
Shakib’s experience
I wake up at around 8am so that I can get ready for work. I leave home around 8:30. I need more than 15 minutes to travel to work.
I’m OK right now but sometimes I get upset about waking up so early in the morning and having to go to work. But there is nothing I can do, I chose this situation, so I have to do it. I have to go to the factory and work.
Researcher’s experience
Shakib gets up before 8am because he has to be at the factory before 9am. He doesn’t eat breakfast before going to work. It takes him 20 minutes to walk to his factory.
Shakib’s experience
I am feeling good about going to the factory today but sometimes, when I think about quarrels with the supervisor, I feel upset about going there. Sometimes he shouts at us, not all the time, but when he wants to pressure us to increase our production. Sometimes we shout back at him. He cannot physically assault us workers.
I travel to the factory by myself. Though my route is not well constructed or the best road to walk on I choose this route as it takes me to the factory in the shortest time.
No outsiders are allowed to enter the factory
Shakib’s experience
I always try to reach the factory on time, I do not want to be late. I am feeling good right now, as I have some friends who work here. I do not feel bad about working at the moment.
In the morning, everything is going okay. I am enjoying my work. I am surrounded by people I know, some of them are my friends and we all work together as a team. This helps me feel comfortable and relaxed.
I start to feel stressed before lunch. The supervisor is putting too much pressure on us. As I am the only one who cuts leather patches there is a lot of pressure on me right now. When there is a higher production load than usual, we get pressured by the supervisor to complete our tasks.
Three workers in my section did not come to work today. So their workload falls to those of us who are here. We have to work extra hard and do extra production to cover their work as well. So I am feeling bad.
Researcher’s experience
Shakib seems happy on arrival at the factory. He has friends at work who he is pleased to see. I am not able to enter the factory with him, but his supervisor agrees, after negotiation, that I can speak with Shakib once an hour throughout his working day.
Shakib’s job is to cut the leather. He worries about cutting himself.
Shakib has to work quickly and is under pressure on this particular day as a large order is being processed and he is the only person working at cutting. By midday he seems exhausted and says that he is being shouted at by his supervisor to work faster. In the absence of several workers that day the remaining employees are expected to increase their rate of production to compensate.
When he came down to the ground floor to talk with me there were security guards and other people from the factory surrounding us. I don’t think he was able to express himself fully.
Shakib’s experience
I feel relieved that I can finally go home for lunch. During this time I eat my food. I have my lunch and a bit of rest – although I have very little time for rest because it takes more than 30 minutes for me to travel home and back to the factory, so I am home for less than 30 minutes.
Researcher’s experience
At 1pm Shakib goes home for lunch. As he only has one hour he walks very quickly.
Lunchtime is important to Shakib, and a chance to recuperate from the morning at work but he has less than half an hour to eat and rest – the rest of the break is taken up by walking from his factory to home and back again.
Scissors for cutting leather
Shakib’s experience
After lunch, I am feeling full of energy but our workload is increasing, and the supervisor is again putting pressure on us.
Later in the afternoon my workload decreases so I feel better. The supervisor is not shouting at us anymore. I can work at my own pace without being rushed.
I am feeling relieved that I do not have to do overtime today. I was worried that I might have to. But earlier, the supervisor informed me that today I don’t. So I am feeling good, and I will spend some time this evening with my friends.
Researcher’s experience
After eating Shakib seems happier. At 6pm Shakib leaves the factory. He is relieved that the day is over and that he is not one of the workers selected to work overtime on this particular day.
The riverside at dusk
Shakib’s experience
I am so relieved to finally leave the factory. It’s like being in jail because of all the pressure we are put under to get the work done. We workers sometimes get involved in arguments with the supervisor. But they cannot physically touch us.
I am so glad that my working day is finally over and I am going to hang out with my friends.
The riverside at night
Shakib’s experience
I am really happy to hang out with my friends. The weather is so nice, and it feels good to be outside after spending the whole day at the factory. Now I feel free and relaxed. It’s nice to have some time to just chat, hang out, and have fun with my friends. They also work in factories, and they also just came from work.
It’s always a great time with them. I am lucky to have them. Even though I have to work tomorrow I am not thinking about it right now. I am enjoying the moment.
This is the only place to hang out. There are no other places to go. Here all of the people come to get some air, although the air is not that fresh.
Researcher’s experience
After work, Shakib goes to an open space where the boat crosses the river to spend some time with his friends. All of his friends come to this place after work. It is a smelly and hazardous place, but there are no playgrounds or fields for them to play in. There were some fields at one time, but they have been taken over by construction.
Explore Shakib’s journey
Rama, 17, supports her family by working as a beautician in the daytime and as a dancer in a dance bar at night.
Supriya, 16, works in a party palace (party venue) from 5pm until midnight.
Pema, 15, works in events catering in the afternoons and evenings, after going to college in the morning.
Khem, 17, has worked for a relative in a khaja ghar (small eatery) since he was ten years old.