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Md Nahian
With the nationwide strict lockdown in progress to curb the spread of coronavirus, the economic hardship of rickshaw pullers has further worsened.
The rickshaw pullers, whose jobs involve lots of toils and hardworking, are now struggling for their livelihoods as their earnings declined during the ongoing lockdown which once again was extended from April 22 to 28.
On the 6th day of ‘strict lockdown’ many streets in the capital were abuzz with people and vehicles including some rickshaws as well.
The Business Post talked to a number of rickshaw pullers, who said that as they did not have any other option left, they ventured out to paddle rickshaw for their livelihood in this ongoing lockdown.
Many pullers of the non-mechanised three-wheelers decided not to stay at home as their family suffered hunger pangs. They can’t bear their hungry kids crying for food.
“I have been working as a rickshaw puller for the last 17 years. Now I am struggling to make ends meet but failed to earn daily bread for my family's livelihood. We are not allowed to ply in every road in the city after the lockdown was imposed,” said 36-year-old Md Abbas, a rickshaw puller in the capital's Mirpur area.
“I can't even afford daily food for my family as my income dropped during the lockdown. Before this lockdown, I used to earn Tk 800 to Tk 900 on weekdays but nowadays I can’t even make more than Tk 200 to Tk 300 on average,” added Abbas, the lone breadwinner of his family.
Twenty-nine-year-old Saiful Islam, another rickshaw puller of Dhaka, said that he worked in a shop before the lockdown. Now he is bound to pull a rickshaw as he knows no other trade.
“Total five members of my family are depending on my income. Now I am earning merely Tk 200 to Tk 300 per day. I came here from Naogaon to better my economic condition but now I am totally helpless,” said Saiful.
Md Asaduzzaman, another rickshaw puller of Mohammadpur, said that previously he was in another profession but the lockdown-induced plight prompted him to paddle a rickshaw.
“We have six members in my family including me. Now I am only able to manage Tk 300 to Tk 400 per day. It's very tough for me to manage everything with this meagre amount,’’ he added.
Md Rafiqul Islam, who lives on rickshaw pulling, is also experiencing the worst sufferings during this lockdown.
“I am the only breadwinner of my family. Both of my parents are sick. Due to the low income, I am not able to send money to my home town (Rajshahi),’’ added Rafiq.
According to a study published in March 2019 by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) there are around 1,100,000 rickshaws in more than 5,000 garages with 2,200,000 rickshaw pullers working in the capital.
Most of the rickshaw pullers who are working here in the capital said though they know the necessity of lockdown they have nothing to do to make a living by doing something alternative. The pressing demands of their families forced them to paddle on the streets only to survive.
Besides, they also claimed that their family depends on their income, and they have to feed their kids and also have to pay the others bills by doing this hard work.
Visiting many places, this correspondent found that many of the rickshaw pullers of the capital migrated from rural areas and most of them are living here with their families back in village homes.
Rickshaw pullers urged the government to give them an allowance, if possible, hardship allowance during the lockdown as the sudden fall in their income badly affected their livelihood.
