Heatwave leaves day labourers in the lurch

The severe heatwave that has swept over Bangladesh since the start of April has made life more difficult for people from every walk of life, but those who work as daily wage earners are bearing the brunt of the burden.

As persistently high inflation -- which has hovered above 9 percent since March last year -- has been eroding people's purchasing power, such workers have been left extremely vulnerable to any changes in the job market.

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But despite their willingness to brave the unprecedented temperatures, many are still not finding jobs as most employers have put their projects on hold since they are not getting the optimal output from day labourers.

Different professionals such as carpenters and masons flock to floating labour markets around the capital in the early hours of the morning alongside day labourers, hoping to find work and make a living.

Such floating labour markets are prevalent in Dhaka city, with popular ones located in Mirpur-1, Mirpur-11 (Purobi), Mirpur-12, Mirpur-14, Kazipara, Khilgaon Railgate, Shahjahanpur, Kamalapur, Ittefaq Mor, Malibagh, Rampura, Badda, Kuril Bisshoroad, Jatrabari, Shanir Akhra, Mohammadpur Town Hall, and Mohammadpur Ring Road.

Employers visit these hubs at around seven in the morning and select workers as per their requirements, either on a daily basis or for a longer term.

55-year-old Abdur Rahim was seeking work alongside scores of day labourers under a foot overbridge in Mirpur-1 since dawn, but no one came to hire them.

Rahim, who came to the spot from the Panir Tanki Bus Stand in Tolarbagh, has been without work for six days.

 "I have been unemployed for almost a week. Due to the scorching heat, employers are not coming to hire us," he lamented.

 "I used to earn Tk 700 per day but now I cannot find work despite offering my services for only Tk 500 a day," he added.

Mohammad Younus, who resides with his five-member family, including his parents, near the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur-2, is in a similar bind.

He, along with his brother Mohammad Ibrahim, are daily wage earners and the breadwinners of their family.

Unfortunately, both of them are between jobs right now.

 "I came here at 6:00am today. Now it is 10:00am. No one came here to hire us. I have been unemployed for three days," said Younus.

"I am very worried about it because the month will end soon. If I remain unemployed, how will I pay house rent and arrears to my neighbourhood grocery shop? How will my family meet their daily expenses?" he questioned in dismay.

Sayema Haque Bidisha, a professor of economics at the University of Dhaka, highlighted two reasons for the current plight of day labourers.

"It may be a temporary issue. If they are not getting a chance to work due to the prevailing heatwave, that may not remain the case over a longer period," she said.

"But I think it happened because of the overall macroeconomic situation."

"Lower and middle class people and fixed-income earners such as day-labourers are in a really difficult situation due to inflationary pressures on the whole economy.

"If people have no money, they cannot afford to buy products. So, owners of markets and organisations employ a smaller workforce. As a result, there is a crisis."

The professor added that the government does not have a safety net programme for such people.

The government sells some products through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh at subsidised prices, but that alone is not enough, she opined.

"I think the government should supply more products at subsidised prices for day-labourers, and lower- and middle-income and fixed-income earners. They should increase the volume of products and add more items," she added.

In the absence of such schemes, people have no choice but to put on a brave face.

Shafiqul Islam, a 40-year-old mason, has been travelling to the spot with his working tools in hand from the Lalkutir Bazar area. Unfortunately, his efforts have gone in vain for over a week.

 "I have had no work for 7-8 days. I come here at 5:30am every day to get work, but I am not finding any jobs."

Mohammad Israfil and Mohammad Alam, two others awaiting a benefactor, share similar stories of struggle.

Keramul Islam, who works as a carpenter, came to Dhaka with his family from Panchagarh two months ago in desperate search of a job.

 "If I remain jobless, how I will feed my three-member family in such tough times?" he asked.

There are also crowds of female workers, who come from different areas.

Fatema Begum, who works as a supporting hand for different projects, has not found work for five days.

Fatema and her husband both seek jobs to run their six-member family. However, both are in a jam as they have not found work in recent times.

With a bamboo basket and hoe in hand, Fatema hurries to the labour hub in Mirpur-1 each day.

"We are facing difficulties due to being unemployed. We need to work," she said.

"I am now thinking about my monthly house rent and groceries alongside daily expenses. Such things are a huge source of anxiety for me as the month approaches its end," Fatema added.