The caption of the picture says that many commuters look at the girl calling passengers to get on board a double-decker bus in disbelief. Not only commuters but also readers who have come across the picture should feel a chilling sensation run down their spines apprehending the danger the 15-year old is exposed to. Named Ontora, she might be the first ever girl to have taken the risky job of a helper. She could be lauded for breaking the gender barrier in this exclusive men's preserve fraught with dangers but for the nature of the informal job and her underage. The way she was dangling from behind the rear door of the double-decker says it all.
When it comes to risky jobs like that of bus helpers, differentiation between genders is useless. But because no girl ever came forward to take up such a low-paid, crude and unthankful job, Ontora's presence as a helper at the double-decker door startles people all around. She perhaps could not care less. Most likely, desperation has forced her to take up this unpleasant job to be done between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm. That she has taken up her job quite seriously is evident from an inset picture where an irate hawker is harassing her physically. Her fault is that she won't allow the hawker to get on board the bus with his wares. No one even comes to the girl's rescue. How can a man take the liberty of catching hold of the girl in order to overpower her in public? Clearly, she tries to defend her right fiercely but also runs the risk of far greater dangers.
In fact, both her physical safety and security are under threat. True, for a girl like her an income of Tk 150 a day is quite a lot. But can the state-run bus service employ underage boys and girls? A few boys in the age group of 8-12 are also found to be performing the same job as hers for the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC). There should not be any legal standpoint on such employment no matter if the job is informal and temporary. One wonders if there is a fatal accident involving the teenage helpers, will any authority be responsible for paying compensation! The question of insurance does not arise here.
This again is not the only legal issue. Such jobs fall under the category of child labour which is illegal. A special type of four-wheeler called 'leguna' exclusively employs underage boys as its helpers. Even the drivers are teenagers. These boys are yet to be qualified for driving licences. Then how come that such youngsters operate the leguna service with impunity? Rough driving is not a monopoly of drivers of any particular type of transport in this country but there is no doubt that if there were a reward for such driving, leguna drivers would have beaten their competitors hands down.
Ontoras are unlikely to be hailed for their groundbreaking step into an uncharted territory like the first women civil aviation pilots, fighter jet pilots or first woman train driver. The job is not considered dignified enough for such plaudits. In this part of the world, the value of physical labour goes unrecognised. Imagine how society's edifice will come crumbling if those on whose labour it stands just take them off.
