Guest Photographer/Photojournalist: G.M.B. Akash — Child Labor - Part Two

The Guest Photographer/Photojournalist section of Zoriah.net is designed to showcase the most important work of some of the world's most talented shooters.

[Zoriah's Note:  I am happy to present Part Two of G.M.B. Akash's wonderful series of images documenting child labor. If you missed the first part of this series, you can see it here. Please visit Akash's website and sign up for this blog's feed for future posts from myself, Akash and other guest photographers and photojournalists.]

Child Workers taking rest in a silver cooking pot making factory. For one week of work they will get 200 taka (1 USD = about 70 taka), working nearly 10 hours a day from early morning to late afternoon. June 2008. Dhaka. Bangladesh. 

A child works with a sieve at Bhollar Ghat. At least 10,000 people, including 2,500 women and more than 1,000 children, are engaged in stone and sand collection from the Bhollar Ghat on the banks of the Piyain River. Building materials such as stone and sand, and the cement which is made from it, are in short supply in Bangladesh, therefore commanding a high price from building contractors. But the average income for these workers is around 150 taka (less than 2 USD) a day. 

Shilu works separating sand and stone on the banks of the Piyain River.

A child works in a textile factory in Dhaka. It is common in Bangladesh for children of poor parents to work in various hazardous and labor-intensive workplaces to support their families. The average child laborer earns between 400 to 700 taka per month, while an adult worker can earn up to 5,000 taka per month.

The owner of a textile factory beating a child laborer. The boy works for ten hours a day and earns about 1 USD.

A child working in an aluminum cooking pot factory in Dhaka. More than 17 percent of all children aged 5–15 are engaged in economic activities.

Alamin, 8, taking lunch in a dump yard where he works.

10-year-old Roubel works at a factory making ornamental grilles for windows. He is already a skilled worker after working as an apprentice without pay for two years. He now earns 500 taka, or around 8 USD, a month.

A child rests on sand at Bhollar Ghat on the banks of the Piyain River.

A child tends to dried fish on Sonadia island in Bangladesh in Patuakhali. Dried fish is a popular Bengali food, and 50,000 men, women and children are employed in the industry in the coastal areas. Around 300 tons of dry fish is produced each season, which runs from November to April.

Two child laborers eat lunch during a break at the factory where they work. 

A child worker collecting stone from the Bhollar Ghat on the banks of the Piyain River. 

Children from the rural area of Gaibandha work at a brick-making factory in Dhaka. 

Children carry heavy baskets of stones on their heads at the Bhollar Ghat on the banks of the Piyain river. 

Child working in an Aluminum cooking pot factory in Dhaka.

[Zoriah's Note: My sincere thanks to Jeff Cagle for his editing time in this and all the other posts on this blog. Your continued support is appreciated by all of us! Jeff is a journalist and editor who believes blogs and other social media tools are imperative to the future of the journalism industry. He is more than willing to consult with fellow journalists/bloggers and provide editing services to help them put out the best product possible.]

Comments

[Ilan]

Stunning works.
The kind of photos you expect to see in book of "Master of photography", Sebastião Salgado comes into my mind.

[Altaf Qadri]

Very nice and touching images..

[opeka]

Despite living in Bangladesh for over two years and seeing many of this type of scene I knew then and continue to do so now that there were many things that I did not see or maybe did not want to.

Your images are very powerful and I sit here in tears remembering the many children for whom life will always be a test of endurance until the next when they hope against hope that Allah will reward their patience.

Thank you for your beautiful if heartbreaking work.

[Muslim Social Networks]

wow really the person have something special in his hand because the pictures are really looking awesome anyway wish you best of luck in the future.

[running shoes sale]

Very nice pictures!!and you will get some prises to sir!!But Want to ask all that people who are passes from this blogs and all them too who will see this photographs at exhibition,This photograph is not for your clapping,It is reality and Do something in life to help them,so you can say with proud that you have done something best in your past.

[Kranthi ,Hyd.]

Yes , I truely agree with the above comments .. It has become a fashion or trend to speak of the poor at a podium or exhibit pictures like this... but how many helping hands do we really have .. Are these limited only to ur exhibitions and articles ....

[Generic Viagra]

God made the childhood to be live peacefully not to work more than a slave, greats organization like ONU and other must watch that this kind of activities must disappear completely in this world.