The Life of a Rickshaw Puller
Rickshaws, the traditional eco-friendly, non motorized vehicles in Bangladesh are a mode of human-powered transport: a runner draws a three-wheeled cart which seats generally two persons. Rickshaw pullers come from the lower level in Bangladesh society almost from the villages, mostly are economically marginalized. With a vision of a good life, the illiterate villagers migrate to Dhaka and after fighting with poverty at last take rickshaw pulling like hard job. By doing a whole day of hard work a rickshaw puller still cannot earn proper money for quality existence. The average income to a rickshaw puller is 200 taka. But rickshaw pullers cannot lead a good life due to illiteracy and superstitions. They generally take unhygienic food in the roadside restaurants. However, the rickshaw pullers are not socially well recognized. They live in slums, generally do not have family planning and cannot send children to school, thus then they turn into street children. Bachelor rickshaw pullers live like homeless people whereas they are actually not homeless. After whole day hard job, they return with weak body and mind. With limited income, they cannot maintain family properly. So wife also joins in income generation, does a job as housemaid or garments worker. Such a way is going in their life circle. The crude reality, Bangladesh government is now evicting the rickshaw from Dhaka with the help of World Bank without rehabilitating the poor rickshaw-pullers. As rickshaw pullers are the essential cogs in Bangladesh’s machine, they deserve better. So, our government should aim at not just improving the educational standard and the physical well-being of the rickshaw puller and their families and dependents, but also socially and psychologically empowering the rickshaw pullers.
Rickshaws, the traditional eco-friendly, non motorized vehicles in Bangladesh are a mode of human-powered transport: a runner draws a three-wheeled cart which seats generally two persons. Rickshaw pullers come from the lower level in Bangladesh society almost from the villages, mostly are economically marginalized. With a vision of a good life, the illiterate villagers migrate to Dhaka and after fighting with poverty at last take rickshaw pulling like hard job. By doing a whole day of hard work a rickshaw puller still cannot earn proper money for quality existence. The average income to a rickshaw puller is 200 taka. But rickshaw pullers cannot lead a good life due to illiteracy and superstitions. They generally take unhygienic food in the roadside restaurants. However, the rickshaw pullers are not socially well recognized. They live in slums, generally do not have family planning and cannot send children to school, thus then they turn into street children. Bachelor rickshaw pullers live like homeless people whereas they are actually not homeless. After whole day hard job, they return with weak body and mind. With limited income, they cannot maintain family properly. So wife also joins in income generation, does a job as housemaid or garments worker. Such a way is going in their life circle. The crude reality, Bangladesh government is now evicting the rickshaw from Dhaka with the help of World Bank without rehabilitating the poor rickshaw-pullers. As rickshaw pullers are the essential cogs in Bangladesh’s machine, they deserve better. So, our government should aim at not just improving the educational standard and the physical well-being of the rickshaw puller and their families and dependents, but also socially and psychologically empowering the rickshaw pullers.