Chapter One
1. Introduction:
The cities of Bangladesh have been experiencing overwhelming
population growth and extreme poverty. It is more acute in Dhaka
city. Actually this is in part, a result of rural poverty, which has led
to migration of poor people from rural to urban areas in search of a
better life, better job opportunities and better social services. Most
of these rural migrants are absorbed in to the urban informal sector.
Rickshaw pulling is one of the informal professions. At present,
about 360000 rickshaw pullers are living in Dhaka city in an
unhygienic environment. They are suffering from lack of all basic
human rights- food, clothing, shelter, health, education and
entertainment. Though the article 15(a), (b) and (c) of our
constitution promises for the provision of the basic needs right to
employment and the right to reasonable rest, recreation and leisure.
On the other hand, there are also many other people who belong to
a rich society, who live in the same city. They never have to face
any hurdle to get basic needs. They are enjoying various modern
opportunities to pass their leisure time.
The above preceding does not try to mean that rickshaw pullers
don’t have any entertainment opportunity; rather we can say that
each and every individual whether a rickshaw puller or a
businessman has an own way to pass his or her leisure time, which
may differ from person to person. But unfortunately we have never
thought that what could be the method of rickshaw pullers to
entertain themselves. The endeavor of this paper is to know by
what means the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city pass their leisure
1
time and how they usually amuse themselves, according to their
own surrounding.
A Rickshaw is a two-wheeled or three-wheeled passenger vehicle.
Two-wheeled rickshaws are called pulled rickshaws and three-
wheeled rickshaws are called cycle rickshaws. People who pull
rickshaws are called rickshaw pullers. They carry the passenger to
their destinations.
A pulled rickshaw is a small vehicle with two wheels and a seat for
passengers, pulled along by somebody walking in front of it, used
especially in Asia. Runner-pulled rickshaws have been replaced
mainly by cycle rickshaws. The term rickshaw is today commonly
used for cycle rickshaws. (Encarta, 2005)
A cycle rickshaw is a small three-wheeled vehicle, with a seat at the
back for passengers that is driven by somebody sitting at the front
and pedaling. They are often used on a for hire basis. Cycle
rickshaws are widely used in major cities around the world, but most
commonly in cities of South, Southeast and East Asia. (Encarta,
2005)
Rickshaws (রি�কশা� riksha) are the most popular modes of transport
in Bangladesh and are available for hire throughout the country
including the capital city Dhaka, known as the "Rickshaw Capital of
the World". Rickshaws in Bangladesh are also more convenient than
the other public modes of transports in the country namely auto
rickshaws, cabs and buses. They are mostly convertible rickshaws
with folding hoods and are the only kind of vehicles that can be
driven in many neighborhoods of the city with narrow streets and
2
lanes. However, increasing traffic congestion and the resulting
collisions have led to the banning of rickshaws on many major
streets in the city. Urban employment in Bangladesh also largely
depends on cycle rickshaws. Because of inflation and
unemployment in the rural areas, people from villages crowd in the
cities to become rickshaw drivers locally called the riksha-
wala (রি�কশা�ওয়া�লা�). (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). As a mode of
transport rickshaw was first introduced in Japan in the early
twentieth century. This mode of transport became particularly
popular there due to the Second World War situation, which made
petrol and motorised transport scarce and expensive. Japan,
however, had soon replaced rickshaw, nintaku in Japanese, with
motorised vehicles and by the 1950s the cycle rickshaw had
disappeared from Japan.
In the 1930 and early '40s rickshaw became popular in Indonesia,
Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries. Rickshaw is said to
have reached Chittagong from Myanmar in 1919. Interestingly,
rickshaw did not spread out to Dhaka and other cities of Bangladesh
from Chittagong.
Dhaka got rickshaw from Calcutta, where it was first introduced
around 1930. European jute exporters living in Narayanganj and
Netrokona (in Mymensingh) had first imported cycle rickshaw from
Calcutta in 1938 for their personal use. The new vehicle roused
great curiosity among the people of Dhaka, who were traditionally
used to horse carriages, palanquins and city-canal boats. Initially
cycle rickshaw did not receive enthusiastic response from users.
The Dhaka city had only 37 rickshaws in 1941 and 181 rickshaws in
1947. Before 1947, Dhaka was a district town, which had a
3
population of 62,469 only according to 1951 census. But in 1998,
the city's population grew over 8 million and the number of
registered rickshaws in the city was 112,572. The number of
rickshaws in all other cities of Bangladesh in that year was 274,265
and in all villages 91,040.
It is a popular guess that the total number of rickshaws in the city is
at least two and a half times that of the registered ones and
accordingly, the city had at least 280,000 rickshaws in 2000. Today
approximately 400,000 cycle rickshaws run each day. (Banglapedia,
2006)
1.2 Statement of the problem:
‘Rickshaw’ the traditional Bangladeshi rides. The people who earn
their livelihood by pulling rickshaw are called the rickshaw pullers.
Usually they are poor people, we all know how miserable life
rickshaw pullers lead. The maximum numbers of rickshaw plays on
the roads and streets of Dhaka city. Therefore, this city is known to
us as the ‘city of rickshaw’. Sometimes, we may notice rickshaw
pullers spend their spare time in chatting or sleeping or eating
cheap bread, banana or by watching cinema. It can make a question
in our mind that what is their entertainment behavior. So we can
create a new space to research on their entertainment. The focus of
this study is to find out what do rickshaw pullers do at their leisure
time.
1.3 Brief review of literature:
In this study several national and international literatures have been
reviewed. While reviewing literature, literature was selected very
4
consciously. Among reviewed literatures, some major findings which
seemed relevant to the research topic are given below:
According to Begum and Sen (2004), the rickshaws pullers have
come from vary poor origins in terms of household human aspects
and physical capital assets. I both these respects, rickshaw pullers
belong to one of the most deprived social categories.
The SEARO Technical Publication and WHO (1984) identified in a
study that in Bangladesh 86% rickshaw pullers enjoy their idle time
by smoking.
Deepak Saxena in his research report on ‘’Rickshaw pullers,
unorganized transport sector of Jaipur, for enhancing quality of life
of rickshaw pullers’’ mentioned that-
‘’About 70% rickshaw pullers spend their spare time in chatting, the
next most (about 21%) indulged in spare time actively was sleeping,
about 5% claimed that there was no spare time, other 1% each
were involved in praying, drinking, roaming around. And 1
respondent replied that he studies during spare time.’’
Many researchers have been conducted regarding the rickshaw
puller’s life style including their migration from rural to urban area,
their formal-informal income, health state etc. But there is no single
research conducted regarding entertainment behaviour of rickshaw
pullers of Dhaka city. Thus it is the study which is going to add
something new extra information in research world.
1.4 Objective of the research:
The prime objective of the research is to find out how do rickshaw
pullers of Dhaka city spend their leisure time.
5
1.5 Research questions:
1) What does the rickshaw puller do at his leisure time?
2) Does it cost money? If it does, what amount?
3) How much leisure time he usually gets to spend?
Chapter two
2. Socio economic profile of Rickshaw pullers:
In general, the rickshaw pullers have come from very poor origins
both in terms of house human capital assets and physical capital
assets. In both these respects, rickshaw pullers belong to one of the
most deprived social categories. They are mostly uneducated
(58%semi-educated, having never completed primary level
education (17%) the remaining 25%, only 2.5% reported to have
passed the SSC level; all others either completed primary school but
did not continue (9%) or did not complete secondary education
(13%). (Begum Sharifa and Sen Binayak, 2004: P. 8)
2.1 Where do they come from?
Rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city come from an underprivileged socio-
economic background consistent with the characteristics of chronic
poverty. Most of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city migrate from
different areas of the country. Very few rickshaw pullers are
permanent residents of Dhaka. Almost half of the interviewees
(47%) have come from different districts of north Bengal. They
generally come from Bogra, Sirajganj, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat.
28% of the respondents have come from different districts of Dhaka
division for example Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Faridpur, Madaripur,
6
Tangail and Shariatpur. 2 respondents of Dhaka division were
permanent residents of Dhaka city. The next largest contributors
are Barisal and Khulna division from which 16% rickshaw pullers
have come. Unemployed poor people of Barisal, Jhalkathi and
Patuakhali districts of Barisal division and Magura, Satkhira and
Bagerhat districts of Khulna division come to Dhaka in search of
work and they get involved in rickshaw pulling. Around 7% of our
interviewed rickshaw pullers have come from Sylhet region for
example Sunamganj, Habiganj and Kishoreganj districts. Only 2% of
the respondents have come from Feni and Noakhali, i.e. districts of
Chittagong division. Therefore, districts which have extensive
severe poverty, depressed areas, river erosion, charlands, and
underprivileged areas with limited work opportunities outweigh in
the sample of rickshaw pullers. Thus, rickshaw pullers come mostly
from the country’s poverty striven areas.
The majority of the rickshaw pullers of the Dhaka City come from
village. According to one study conducted by Sharifa Begum and
Binayak Sen–
‘’More than 90% of the rickshaw pullers have come to the city
straight from the village. Only 2% have come from another location
in their home upazila, 3.5% from district towns and 4% from other
metropolitan cities, including 1% who has always lived in Dhaka.
Substantial numbers of long-duration rickshaw pullers have been
living in Dhaka City for long periods, while recent rickshaw pullers
tend to be recent migrants to the city, and are likely to have made
this move in search of a better livelihood. The average duration of
living in Dhaka City by the rickshaw pullers is 11 years – 22% have
lived in Dhaka for fewer than 5 years, 41% for 5-9 years, 19% for
10-19 years, and 18% for more than 20 years. Among recent joiners
7
to the occupation (i.e. worked as rickshaw puller for fewer than 5
years), the majority have come to the city only recently (87%
migrated to the city during the last five years and 98% arrived over
the past 10 years). Among those pulling rickshaws for 5-14 years,
two-thirds arrived in the city between 5 to 10 years ago, and
another 22% migrated between 10 to 20 years ago. In contrast,
more than 60% of those pursuing the occupation for more than 15
years migrated to Dhaka before 20 years ago.’’ (Begum Sharifa and
Sen Binayak, 2004: P. 8)
2.3 Religious background:
Most of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city are Muslims. Out of our
total 100 respondents, 99% were Muslims and only 1% belonged to
the Hindu community. There was no rickshaw puller in our research
belonging to other communities such as Christians and Buddhists.
2.4 Age level:
The majority of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city are young. Out of
our total respondents 75% were between the age group of 20-40
years. 20% belonged to the age group of 40-50 years. Only 5%
rickshaw pullers were between the age level of 15-20 years. The
average age was 31 years, the minimum age was 15 years and the
maximum age is 50 years.
2.5 Marital status:
Most of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city are married. All the adult
rickshaw pullers of our research were married (95%). The rickshaw
pullers who were below the age level of 20 were unmarried (5%).
8
2.6 Educational status:
The rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city are mostly illiterate. Maximum of
them do not have any academic qualification. Two thirds of our
respondents were uneducated. Others were primary school
dropouts.
2.2 How they get involved in rickshaw pulling
profession:
The migrant rickshaw pullers come to Dhaka and get involved in
rickshaw pulling with the help of their relatives or friends who are
already involved in rickshaw pulling. The permanent residents
generally pull rickshaw as most of their family profession is rickshaw
pulling.
2.7 Living condition:
Most of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city live in hardships. They
mainly live in slum areas. Majority of the rickshaw pullers in Dhaka
city live in neighborhoods for example Kamrangir char, Modhu Bagh
mohalla of Moghbazar, slum areas of Jurain and Rayer bazaar, Pike
para, Sen para mohalla of Mirpur, Hazaribagh, Goran, slum areas of
Madartek. People living in these areas have poor socio-economic
condition with little income and low purchasing capability and
therefore the rickshaw pullers tend to live in these areas because
the living costs of these areas are comparatively low from other
area of Dhaka city.
Most of the rickshaw pullers do not own a house in Dhaka. They
mainly live in rent-free accommodations such as rickshaw garages.
9
Such kinds of accommodations are generally provided by the
rickshaw owners. 21% of the rickshaw pullers live in some sort of
rent-free garages. Majority of the rickshaw pullers in Dhaka city live
in a rented mess. Others live with their family. At maximum cases
the houses are very congested and there have no well drainage
system, Toilets are not hygienic. And the environment of their living
places is not clean and tip top. On an average 10-12 people stay in
one room. The rickshaw pullers who live with their family generally
live in one-room house. Some of them live in joint family and the
others in nuclear families. More or less 4-5 people live in that one
room. Sometimes the pullers are the only earning member of the
family. They take all the responsibility for their family. But most of
the married rickshaw pullers living with family have economically
active wives. Most of them work in garment factories or work as
maid servants. The number of children of married rickshaw pullers
varies from 3 to 5. Most of them have school going children. Their
educational status is better than their fathers.
2.8 Housing and consumer durables:
The quality of rickshaw pullers’ houses is very poor. Although the
roof material is corrugated tin in 95% of the cases, the wall material
is generally of very low quality. Almost all of the households of the
rickshaw pullers who live in Dhaka with family enjoy access to some
urban amenities: 90% have electricity, 52% have gas facilities, 62%
have access to tap water, 78% enjoy bathroom facilities, 99% have
latrine provision, and 61% have a separate kitchen. Most of the
facilities, are accessed, however, on a shared basis and are rated as
highly inadequate, especially water, sanitation, and kitchen
facilities. In terms of consumer durables, about 14% of the rickshaw
10
pullers’ houses have an almirah; 36-46% has a table, chair, watch or
clock; 87% have bed/cot/chowki; 23% have a working radio; and
15% have a working television. (Begum Sharifa and Sen Binayak,
2004: P. 8)
2.9 What kind of food they eat:
The rickshaw pullers who live in a rented accommodation or in a
garage have their meal at the garage or mess. Who live in a family
can have their meal with their family. Many of them have their meal
at road side cheap restaurants and floating restaurants over
footpaths. Generally rickshaw pullers eat rice, vegetables and dal at
breakfast. Some of them eat bread, biscuit and banana. At lunch
and supper most of them eat rice, low priced fish like tilapia, pangas
and ruhit, vegetables and dal. They also have snacks like bread,
biscuit, shingara and banana in their free time during working hours
2.10 Their Health condition:
The health condition of rickshaw pullers is not satisfactory. They live
in unhygienic environment and thus they suffer from various health
problems. They do not get enough nutrition from the food they
usually eat, thus they undergo many diseases. Generally the
rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city suffer from fever/cold, skin diseases,
Diarrhoea/ dysentery, physical weakness, low blood pressure, gastro
enteric problems including acidity and ulcers and aches/pains. They
depend on government hospitals and local private allopathic
practitioners for their treatment. Most of the cases for minor illness
they ask for medicine to the shopkeepers of local pharmacy.
2.11 Working condition:
11
Typically, rickshaw pullers hire their rickshaws from the owner-
contractors on a daily basis by paying fixed, predetermined charges.
A limited number of rickshaw pullers own a rickshaw themselves.
Longer duration pullers are more likely to own their own rickshaw.
However, large majority of the rickshaw puller who have been
pulling rickshaw for more than 15 years still rent a rickshaw.
2.12 Time spent rickshaw pulling:
Most of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city pursue the occupation all
through the year. Some of the respondents told that they come to
Dhaka for rickshaw pulling in agriculturally slack seasons and go
back to their native village in agriculturally busy seasons and in
religious festivals such as Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha.
Sharifa Begum and Binayak Sen in their research report
‘’Unsustainable Livelihoods, Health Shocks and Urban Chronic
Poverty: Rickshaw Pullers as a Case Study’’ stated that-
‘’60% of the sample rickshaw pullers work every day of the week;
28% take one day off in a week and fewer than 10% take more than
one day off from rickshaw pulling during a week.’’ (Begum Sharifa
and Sen Binayak, 2004: P. 12)
The average time for pulling rickshaw is 9 hours. Among our total
number of respondents 45% said that they pull rickshaw 10-15
hours a day. 14% rickshaw pullers work for 1-5 hours a day. 47%
pullers pull 5-10 hours a day.
2.13 Income from rickshaw pulling
12
From our observation we found that 80% of the rickshaw pullers
earn taka 200-400 per day. Their Average daily income is 320 Tk.
and monthly income is 9600 Tk.
According to one JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)
study-
A hard working rickshaw puller in the capital earns up to Tk14, 000
a month --- eight times the basic minimum wages of a garment
worker.
Some 35 per cent of Dhaka's half a million rickshaw-puller earn
between Tk 5000 and Tk7000 while 25 percent earn between Tk.
7000 and Tk. 9000. On average a rickshaw-puller earns Tk 6300 a
month by driving rickshaws six to eight hours a day. Even an
irregular rickshaw-puller can earn Tk3000 a month.
The highest earnings by some rickshaw pullers were found to be Tk
14,000 a month. Some eight per cent of the rickshaw pullers said
that their monthly income was Tk10, 000 or more," he said.
(Sultana, M., 2009. Rickshaw puller in Dhaka earns Tk 6,300 per
month: JICA study. The Financial Express, [online] 21 December.
Available at: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?
news_id=87400 [Accessed 28 January 2012])
The rickshaw pullers who hire rickshaw from owner/contractors have
to pay 40-60 taka for half day basis (6-8 hours), those who work 10-
12 hours or more than 12 hours, they have to pay 70-100 taka.
2.14 Reasons for entering in rickshaw pulling
sector
Why do rural migrants accept rickshaw pulling as an occupation,
despite its arduous nature? While a variety of reasons influence this
13
choice, the most common ones, cited by 83% of the sample
rickshaw pullers, is ‘easy entry’ especially for men who are illiterate,
unskilled and lack in capital. Other reasons given include that
rickshaw pulling provides a regular flow of income, possibly not
found in previous occupations, and that there is a ‘promise of higher
income’. For more recent entrants into rickshaw pulling, reasons
such as ‘to earn more money’, ‘non-availability of suitable jobs’, and
‘peer influence’ played a relatively larger role in decision-making,
while ‘regular flow of income’ and ‘easy availability of the job’ were
most important considerations for longer duration pullers. (Begum
Sharifa and Sen Binayak, 2004: P. 13-14)
Chapter three
Theoretical Framework
3. Theoretical framework:
A theory is a set of established knowledge that has been repeatedly
tested to explain or predict facts or phenomena. The theory
provides a conceptual framework and its guide’s action. In this
section we have to put an attempt to discuss “Entertainment
theory” and “Culture theory” and a theoretical framework has been
prepared based on these theories to make the study more
authenticated and focused.
There is no doubt that entertainment plays a prominent role in our
lives. Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a
14
diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure
time. It may also provide fun, enjoyment and laughter (Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia).
According to professor Shay Sayre and Cindy King, “Entertainment
covers the whole array of what can be entertaining: Books, drama,
music circus, television, gaming, gambling, sports, advertising,
tourism, edutainment” (Cited in ‘Entertainment & Sociology’ 2002).
Wolf (1999) claimed, “Entertainment-not autos, not steel, not
financial services-is fast becoming the driving wheel of the new
world economy”. And with respect to our preferred leisure-time
activities, researchers not only agree that entertainment is what
most people are looking for (Zillman & Vorderer, 2000), some even
predict that “entertainment will define, more than ever before, the
civilization to come” (Zillman, 2000, p. 18).
Moreover, we are going to mention ‘Culture theory’ because there is
a liaison between culture and entertainment; hence culture is
border than entertainment concept and it is a part of culture.
According to Bierstadt (1974) “Culture is the complex whole that
consists of all the ways we think and do and everything we have as
a member of the society”.
Culture can influence the mode of entertainment of a particular
group or society. In this aspect, we can include ‘sub-culture’ concept
of the discipline of sociology which implies every social group must
have a culture of its own-its own goals, norms, values, and ways of
doing thing. Under the light of this theory we can emphasize that
entertainment behavior of rickshaw pullers in Dhaka city could be
15
influenced by the occupational sub-culture and what may differ to
somewhat extent from other occupations.
Methodology:
We would like to use “semi-structured interview” method for data
collection which consist of some predetermined questions,
techniques of recording and some unstructured but relevant
questions also. The rational of using this method is that many types
of information and even data can be procured by face-to face
contacts with people, especially when data related to personal
option, attitudes.
Another reason to use this verbal technique in our study is that the
data source is primary nature and this systematic method will help
us to enter deeply into the life of rickshaw pullers and to bring out
needed information and data for research purpose.
Chapter four
Data Analysis and Findings
4. Data Findings:
After interviewing 100 rickshaw pullers we have identified 10
sources of entertainment by which the rickshaw pullers amuse
themselves. We also recognized the amount of time spent in their
leisure activities and cost for entertainment. The collected data are
given below:
Sources of entertainment:
16
Name of entertainment Percentage
Watching television 59%
Smoking 40%
Sleeping 38%
Gossiping 37%
Listening song 35%
Time passing with family 21%
Wandering/ roaming around 18%
Playing 13%
Taking drug 6%
Watching movie in cinema hall 5%
Amount of time
Name of entertainment Percentage
Watching television 2 hours 11 minutes
Smoking 20 minutes
Sleeping 1 hour 36 minute
Gossiping 1 hour 26 minutes
Listening songs 44 minute 57 seconds
Time passing with family 2 hours 15 minutes
Wandering/ roaming around 2 hours 30 minutes
Playing 1 hour
Taking drug 45 minutes
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Watching movie in cinema hall 4 hours
Cost of entertainment
Range of cost (taka) Percentage of respondents
20-40 53%
40-60 28%
60-80 15%
80-100 4%
4.2 Data analysis:
4.2.1 Watching Television
From our observation it was revealed that watching television is the
main source of entertainment of rickshaw pullers. Out of our 100
respondents 59 respondents told that they watch TV during their
free time and leisure time. 4 respondents told that they watch TV in
free time during their working hours. Others said that they watch TV
during their leisure time usually at night. The pullers who work half
day basis watch TV in the morning or at noon. From our analysis it
was found that rickshaw pullers watch TV at tea stalls in their free
time during working hours and at their garage, mess or slum house
during leisure time. In most of the cases the rickshaw pullers usually
18
watch TV for 2 hours. They watch for 15-20 minutes in free times
during working hours.
They usually do not have to pay for dish cable connection. The
pullers who live in a garage or mess enjoy free cable connection
service. But those who live with family in a slum house have to pay
200-250 taka per month for connection charge. 4 out of 59 TV
watcher respondents who live with their family pay for dish line
cable connection. Others pullers told that their watch TV free of
charge. One respondent informed that the owner of the mess keep
the TV facility to attract more tenants. According to him the pullers
tend to live in the mess where there is a TV set for the tenants.
When they were asked, ‘what kind of programs do you like to
watch?’ almost all of the TV watcher respondents replied that they
like to watch movies on TV. Form our observation it was found that
the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city like to watch movies of popular
movie actors such as Shakib khan, Manna and Kaji Maruf, Shabnoor
and Apu Biswas of Bangladesh. The respondents mentioned the
names of two Kolkata based actors Jeet Ganguly and Mithun
chakraborty whom they do like because of their action stunts. The
respondents also mentioned that they watch news and drama
serials on different Bangladeshi TV channels. 3 respondents told
that they watch football and cricket matches on TV. 1 of the
respondents said that he likes to watch Discovery channel. 1 of
them watches Islamic channels. The rickshaw pullers watch movies
and on ATN Bangla.
Watching television is most common home entertainment source in
modern world. 87% of urban dwellers in Bangladesh watch TV. The
viewership rate in Dhaka city is 72%. The increasing number of
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private television channels in recent years and easy access to cable
connection made it possible for commoners like rickshaw pullers to
enjoy different TV programs in their leisure time. At present there
are total 23 TV stations in Bangladesh. Thus easy access to
television is one of the main reasons of choosing as a source of
entertainment for rickshaw pullers.
Rickshaw pullers go for this entertainment source because it has no
cost or has nominal cost. They even do not have to buy a television
because this facility is provided by the garage owner or the mess
owner. After p utting in a hard day at work of 10-12 hours most of
them becomes tired and exhausted. When they return home they
can easily watch TV while taking rest. Rickshaw pullers mostly live
in a mess or in garage. Most of their families live in village. So
watching TV is best option for entertainment for rickshaw pullers.
The choice of programs of rickshaw pullers signifies their poor
social, cultural and educational background. Therefore, the rickshaw
pullers do not tend to watch talk shows, Hindi TV serials or English
movie channels. They like to watch the TV programs and movies
which are easy to understand and contain cheap dialogues.
Though in true sense we can not categorize smoking as an
entertainment. It is actually a habit. But our study revealed that
smoking is a major leisure activity of rickshaw pullers. Out of our
100 respondents 46% told that they smoke during free times and
leisure times. A smoker rickshaw puller smokes 10-12 cigarettes per
day by and large. It takes 2 - 2.30 minutes to smoke a cigarette. In
that case a smoker rickshaw puller spends 20-25 minutes for
smoking every day. The average age of smoker rickshaw pullers is
31 years. Rickshaw pullers smoke inexpensive cigarettes. Navy,
20
Sheikh, Meri, K2 are some of the brands of cigarettes which the
respondents usually like. The names of brands, price per piece and
price per packet are given in the following table:
Name of brand Price per piece (Tk.) Price per packet (Tk)
Navy 3
Sheikh 1 10
Meri
K2 2
From our observation it was found that rickshaw pullers usually buy
2-3 pieces of cigarettes at a time because they get 1 Tk discount
which cost effective for them. For example the price of 3 pieces of
Sheikh Cigarette is 2 Tk and the price of 2 pieces of Navy cigarette
is 5 Tk. Only one respondent said that he smoke Gold Leaf cigarette
and Gold Leaf cigarette and do not inhale a whole cigarette at a
time but in parts due to his economic crisis.
Why the rickshaw pullers smoke? To be obvious, not just rickshaw
pullers, but also almost all of us smoke. It necessarily does not have
to mean that, availability and affordability of cigarettes is the only
reason of this entertainment but the basic cause is universal. It is
believed that smoking is the most effective and quick way of getting
relief from tension, letting go of worries. Whether or not, the huff of
nicotine absorbs the tensions and worries, and with the puff of its
gaseous state through nose and mouth, takes those outside, people
of all walks of life, seem to have a strong trust in that!
smoking relieves pressure and who in the world can be in more
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pressure than a person who lives hand to mouth, has no assurance
of getting a rickshaw lease the next day, doesn’t know what
accident awaits this fate the next moment in the crowded city and
amongst the big bulky transport, and has yet thousand of worries at
the back of his head, regarding, taking food home for poor parents,
wife and children, paying for education of children or medicine of
old folks.
Another major source of entertainment among the rickshaw pullers
of Dhaka city is sleeping. 38% of the total 100 respondents said that
they sleep during their leisure time. A rickshaw puller sleeps for
1.30-2.00 hours a day during leisure period. The average age of
rickshaw pullers who sleep during leisure is 28 years.
Rickshaw pullers also sleep during their free time. Sometimes it is
seen that they sleep at their rickshaw during working hours. Many
rickshaw pullers who work more than 8 hours go home during lunch
period and sleep for 1-2 hours to gain energy which will help him to
work rest of the day. The rickshaw pullers who work less than 8
hours or half day can sleep more. The rickshaw pullers who pull
rickshaw for half day can sleep in the morning. They get more time
for sleeping. One of our respondents mentioned that he sleeps for
11 o’clock in the morning. Another rickshaw puller told that
whenever he stays at home he sleeps. From our observation we
found that rickshaw pullers usually sleep during their off day. Most
of them take off day on Friday. On this day they stay at home and
sleep. One of the respondents told that he does not like to watch TV
so he sleeps during leisure time.
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We can not actually categorize sleeping as a source of
entertainment. But from our research it was found that most of the
rickshaw pullers consider sleeping as an entertainment because
they get very little time for sleeping. They can not think of an extra
half an hour in bed in the morning or a mid-afternoon nap. They will
earn less if they sleep more. Therefore they prefer sleeping during
their off day.
A rickshaw puller has to spend money for other sources of
entertainment like watching movies in cinema hall, taking drugs,
smoking, having snacks during gossiping, roving around on off days
but sleeping is an entertainment for rickshaw pullers which has
actually no cost. So the rickshaw pullers like to sleep. Another
reason of sleeping is that lack of availability of other source of
entertainment for example, Absence of TV set at their living place.
Though sleeping is a favourite leisure activity of the rickshaw pullers
can not sleep with comfort because of poor condition of their living
place. The pullers who live in mess or garage have to sleep in a
congested place. He has to share his sleeping place with other
boarders. During summer it becomes very hard to sleep because of
hot weather and load shedding.
From our research it was found that gossiping or chatter is a source
of entertainment of the rickshaw pullers of Dhaka city. 37% of our
total respondents said that they gossip in their leisure time. The
pullers who like to gossip usually gossip for 1.20-1.30 hours a day.
The average age of rickshaw pullers who pass their leisure time in
gossiping is 31 years. Gossiping costs little mount of money. The
rickshaw pullers who gossip spend 20-30 Tk. only. When they gossip
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with their friends and coworkers at a tea stall they like to have light
refreshment like biscuit, tea and bread.
The respondents gossip during their free time also. They take a
break at a tea stall or food carts and gossip with their counterparts.
Most of them gossip in their mess and garage. After returning to
their living place they talk with their mess members. From their
interviews it was found most often they discuss about their well and
woes, family matters, professional conversations like amount of
income which they have earned on that particular day. They also
tend to discuss which they face during rickshaw pulling and other
technical problems with the rickshaw for example old rickshaw
chain, any traffic police have caused the tire to be punctured etc.
Only 1 respondent told that he discusses about political condition of
the country. The tendency of gossiping is more present among the
young rickshaw pullers because most of them live in a mess or
garage where most of their fellow mess members are same age. It
also signifies that they have friendly relationship with their room
members and counterparts. The rickshaw pullers who do not have a
cell phone gossip much because they can not talk with their kith
and kin. So they share their feelings with their friends, coworkers
and room mates. It helps them to reduce their mental stress.
From our study we observed that listening songs is a major source
of recreation among the rickshaw pullers. Out of 100 respondents
35% said that they listen to songs during their spare time. Some
respondents said that they listen to songs in their free time.
Average time of listening songs is 45 minutes. Average age of
rickshaw pullers who like to listen to songs is 27 years.
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Music is used as a tool for relaxation and stress relief. Folk, country
music, modern Bengali; spiritual are the song genres which the
rickshaw pullers usually like. The respondents also told that they
like to listen to sad songs. The music lover respondents mentioned
the names of the singers that they like for instance- Monir khan, Asif
Akbor, Bari Siddiqi, Momtaj, Sabina Yasmin, Nargis, Shanto. 2
respondents like Indian playback singer Sonu Nigum. Most of these
artists do modern Bengali songs and folk songs. All these singers
are more popular in rural areas and their songs are more popular
among the lower class people. Most of them basically do emotional
sad songs and romantic songs. The music and lyrics of their songs
are plain and simple which is easy to understand for the rickshaw
pullers. Another reason of fondness of sad songs is that the
rickshaw pullers stay without their family. They go to their native
village often. Without their family they feel lonely and sad. Listening
to sad songs perfectly match with their feelings. Listening to music
soothes their soul. It make them think that they are not alone who is
sad and lonely which makes them feel good and keep them out of
stress.
The rickshaw pullers usually listen to songs in cell phones. Some of
them watch music videos in DVD player in their mess. Most of the
rickshaw pullers who listen to music use different Chinese
multimedia mobile phones for example Symphony, Sprint, Smart,
Samsung, Maximus which are inexpensive and have the facility of
music player and FM radio. The price of ‘Symphony A70’ mobile
phone is only 1940 Tk and it has MP3 player and FM radio options.
These low priced mobile phones are available everywhere in the
country. Thus the rickshaw pullers can easily afford such kind of
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phones and enjoy music during their leisure time. The rickshaw
pullers do not buy CDs or DVDs to insert songs in the mobile
phones. From the interviews of several respondents we found that
they usually load songs in the memory card of their phone from
local shops of cassettes and CDs. It costs them 40-60 Tk to load
200-300 songs.
21% respondents answered that they spend their spare time with
their family members at home. They usually spend 2.30 hours with
their family. The average age of rickshaw pullers who pass time with
their family during leisure time is 37 years. The rickshaw pullers
usually do not have to cost money for passing time with their family.
From our observation it was found that the married rickshaw pullers
who live in a nuclear family or joint family and have little children
like to pass their leisure time with their family. 1 of the rickshaw
puller told that he helps his wife in household duties. 1 of them said
that when he stays at home in leisure time he helps his wife in
making cloth dolls which she sells in local market. One of the
respondents stays at home on Saturday and arranges good quality
food for family. The aged rickshaw pullers like to spend some of
their leisure time with their grandchildren. 1 of our respondents told
that he likes to play with his grand daughter. 1 respondent
mentioned that sometimes him go to the national memorial with his
wife. Spending time with family indicates that the rickshaw pullers
who live in Dhaka city with their family have a good family life.
Though they are poor and oppressed with many socio-economic
problems but their families are not dysfunctional.
Wandering/roving is a source of entertainment for the rickshaw
pullers. 18% of our total number of respondents said that they roam
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around during their leisure time. Usually rickshaw pullers spend
2.30 hours in wandering. The average age of rickshaw pullers who
like to wander is 28 years. The rickshaw pullers also spend their
time in wandering during their free time.
From our observation it was revealed that rickshaw pullers wander
during their off days. They usually wander in afternoon and in
evening with their friends and children. Some pullers like to rove
alone. One of the respondents told that he wanders with his friends
on Fridays because he does not pull rickshaw on Fridays. The
rickshaw pullers usually walk around their locality during their
leisure time. Most of them like to go for a walk at nearby bridges.
One respondent who lives in Gendaria said that he goes to
Kodomtoli Bridge in evening. Some of the aged respondents tend to
roam with their grandchildren. 1 respondent told that he goes to
park occasionally and goes there alone. He also mentioned that he
does not go to park with his wife because the environment of the
parks is not safe enough. 1 respondent goes to park during free
time. None of the respondents visit zoos or museums during off
days. They rather prefer sleeping on off days. Only 1 respondent
told that he visited the national zoo in Mirpur when he at first came
to Dhaka 6 years ago.
Wandering cost the rickshaw pullers little amount of money.
Sometimes they take some snakes like peanuts, biscuits and drink
tea which cost them 20-40 Tk.
Playing
Rickshaw pullers entertain themselves by playing various types of
indoor and outdoor games. 13% of 100 respondents told that they
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use to play during their free time. They usually play for 1 hour. The
average age of rickshaw pullers who love to play is 27 years.
Most of them play board games like carrom, chess and ludo. 3
respondents told that they play cricket during their off days. One of
them responded that he plays cricket on Friday. 3 respondents like
to play carrom. 3 of them play ludo. 2 respondents like football. 1
respondent plays card game. 1 respondent told that he plays games
in his cell phone. Though the rickshaw pullers like outdoor games
like cricket and football but they do not get much time. Some
respondents also play for money. For example, 1 respondent told
that he plays carrom and if he wins he gets 12 Tk. He has to pay 12
Tk. if he loses. 1 of the respondents told that he does not play but
he likes to watch when his other mess members use to play. The
pullers who are 27 years of age like to play indoor games because
most of them live in a garage and mess where they can play with
their room mates. Playing is fun. The rickshaw pullers get pleasure
when they play different games.
Not all recreational activities of the rickshaw pullers can be
considered healthy, socially acceptable or useful. Out of 100
respondents 6% are addicted to drugs. They take drugs for 45
minutes. The average age of rickshaw pullers who are drug addicted
is 25 years.
The respondents usually take drugs in their locality, parks, and
footpaths. They usually take weed, marijuana, heroin and fencidil.
Some of them also drink alcohol. They collect drugs from local drug
dealers. They buy 1 packet of marijuana for 20-30 Tk. Their
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unhealthy living condition is responsible for their addiction to drugs.
From our observation it was identified that the younger respondents
are more addicted to drugs. One respondent told that his mess
members do drugs and he was influenced by them. The respondents
also become addicted to drugs due to frustration in life due to
poverty. Drug addiction causes adverse effects on them. They
spend a large portion of their earning in taking drugs. As a result
they become poorer.
There is a commonly held belief that rickshaw pullers often go to
watch movies. But interestingly from our research it was found that
only 4% of 100 respondents watch movies in cinema halls. They
spend 3-4 hours when they go to watch movies in cinema halls. The
average age of rickshaw pullers who go to cinema halls is 35 years.
One of the respondents told that he goes to cinema hall and Apu
Bisshah is his favourite heroine. The rickshaw pullers usually go to
cinema halls during their off days. They buy cheap tickets of front
benches which cost 30-60 Tk. Most often they go to cinema halls on
Fridays because cinema halls give 50% discount on tickets.
Some other sources of entertainment:
Apart from these there are some other sources of entertainment of
the rickshaw pullers. 1 of the respondents mentioned that he read
story books during leisure time and read a book named Valo Manush
Valo Jibon by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. 1 respondent capture
photos of his wife and children with his mobile phone. 1 of them said
that he sometimes goes behind processions of political parties with
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his rickshaw. 1 respondent stated that he often goes to brothel for
entertainment. 1 respondent often visits his relative’s house during
leisure time.
Case studies:
Name: Jannat Ali
Age: 22 years
Fazar Ali’s native village is in Rangpur. He goes there once in a year.
He came to Dhaka in 2005 to earn livelihood. He lives in a mess in
Badda. He is illiterate. His wife works at a garment factory in
Gazipur. He pulls rickshaw 10-12 hours everyday and pulls 6 days in
a week. He does not pull rickshaw on Friday. He starts pulling
rickshaw in early morning. He takes a break at noon and comes to
his mess for lunch. After having lunch he usually sleeps for 1-2
hours. Then he again goes for pulling rickshaw in the afternoon after
saying his Asr prayer. He returns home at late night. Fazar Ali earns
400-500 Tk. everyday. He has to deposit 100 Tk. to the rickshaw
owner. He eats his lunch and supper at his mess which costs him
100 Tk. each day. He has to pay 3000 Tk monthly for mess rent.
Sometimes he takes snacks like biscuits, tea, and bread during free
time and leisure time. This costs 40-50 Tk.
Fazar Ali has little opportunity for entertainment. He usually sleeps
during his leisure time. He likes to watch TV but there is no TV in his
mess. Sometimes he listens to songs from his mobile phone. His
favourite singer is Nasrin. On Friday he takes rest at his mess. When
he feels bored he wanders with his friends in his neighborhood.
Sometimes he passes his leisure time by gossiping with his friends.
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Case study 2:
Name: Faridul Islam
Age 32
Faridul Islam came to Dhaka from Joypurhat in 1995 when he was
very young. He goes to his native village once in a month. In Dhaka
he is now staying at a mess which is situated at slum area of
Modhubagh, Moghbazar. He pulls rickshaw for half day. He sleeps till
11 am. He eats his lunch at his mess. After having lunch he goes to
pull rickshaw and work from 2 pm-11 pm and pulls rickshaw
everyday.Daily income of Faridul Islam is 300-400 Tk. From this
income he has to pay 50 Tk. to the rickshaw owner for hiring
rickshaw. Everyday he has to pay 100 Tk for meal to the mess
owner. He pays 3000 Tk. monthly for mess rent.
Faridul Islam usually passes his leisure time by gossiping with other
members of the mess. He smoke cigarette during his free time and
leisure time. K2 is his cigarette brand. Faridul Islam watch TV at his
mess from 12 pm-1 pm. He likes the movies of actor Manna very
much.
Case study 3
Name: Mohammad Mojammel Huq
Age: 30 years
Mojammel Huq is pulling rickshaw in Dhaka city for 7 months.
Before coming into rickshaw pulling he was a cook in Sylhet. But he
could not earn much from cooking. So he came to Dhaka for better
livelihood. His native village is in Kishoreganj. At present he dwells
at Shahjahanpur with his family. He pulls rickshaw from 10 am-10
pm and pulls rickshaw everyday. At noon he has his lunch with his
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family. He has one 10 year old son. He goes to school. Mojammel
Huq’s mother also lives with him. He earns 300-400 Tk per day. He
has to give 70 Tk. for hiring rickshaw. His daily personal expense is
50-60 Tk.
Mojammel Huq smoke cigarette during free time and leisure time.
He smokes Sheikh Cigarette. He gets little spare time. He likes to
spend time with his family.
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