SILVER HANDS

There are many aluminium factories in Bangladesh where different types of pots and pans are made from recycled and melted aluminium. To produce an aluminium pan, bowl, kettle or kettle, this aluminium must first be melted, transformed into ingots, rolled and then cut into discs. Then comes anodizing, a chemical process to prevent objects from rusting. The aluminium discs are dipped in sulphuric acid and then caustic soda. The work is dangerous and toxic. The discs are then formed with the force of the arms on rotating machines to obtain the kitchen utensils. The final touch is the sandpaper polishing that you attach to your hands and feet.

Such an industry creates a huge source of employment. Many of these workers are children under the age of 15. Many factory owners often prefer to employ children because they are cheaper and more obedient than adults. They work more than 10 hours a day for a salary of €1.50 a day. The lives of these working children are hard, but compared to homeless children on the street, they are considered luckier. Without an education and trapped in low-paying jobs that link them more to the cycle of poverty, they are likely to work all their lives in aluminium factories.

In 2013, Bangladesh made moderate progress in its efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour. According to the 2006 Labour Act, the legal minimum age for working is 14 years. However, 93% of children work in the informal sector, in small factories, on the streets, in home-based businesses or at home. The enforcement of labour laws is virtually impossible. Many children are still doing dangerous work in the country.