Uncovered: Child Labour In Aluminium Factory

CHILDREN as young as seven are forced to work in at an aluminium pot making factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Scroll down for the full story

239590

Visual journalist Zakir Chowdhury gained access to the aluminium factory in Dhaka

Captured by visual journalist Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, the intrepid photographer told the factory owners he was a tourist in order to gain access to the building and expose the hazardous circumstances.

In 2013 Zakir claims the owners wouldn't initially let him into the factory because they're using child labour

He said: “I’ve known about this place since 2013 but the owners wouldn’t give me permission to enter the factory because they know they’re using child labour and hadn’t given them the correct protective clothing to do the work.

Disguised as a tourist, Zakir captured the young people working

“The place is not good. Inside the factory is very hot and aluminium dust is flying everywhere. It got in my nose, bag, camera and clothes. I think about how they work continuously in these conditions without wearing a mask.”

The photographer claims that the working conditions of the factory are highly dangerous

Zakir states that according to the International Labour Organization there are more than 168 million children trapped in child labour around the world. More than half of them work in hazardous environments.

The Agency for Toxic Substance & Disease Registry states that medical studies have shown brain and bone disease developing in children who have ingested large amounts of aluminium

Zakir goes on to say he believes the persistence of child labour is rooted in poverty and lack of decent work for adults, a lack of social protection and a failure to ensure children attend school through to the legal minimum age.

Zakir said: "Inside the factory is very hot and aluminium dust is flying everywhere. It got in my nose, bag, camera and clothes. I think about how they work continuously in these conditions without wearing a mask”

He said: “I want to show the condition these children work in. You can see in the pictures, their hands and fingers are silver from the dust. They don’t use gloves, masks or any protective clothing. An accident can occur at any time.

Workers who breathe large amounts of aluminium dust can develop lung problems, such as coughing, shortness of breath

“The youngest child there is seven years old. He and his brother work there with their father. They said their father is not interested in them being educated. After learning this work they will machine controllers. That’s their father’s plan. The children and their families are not aware of the health conditions. They eat food with their hands that are covered in dust."

Zakir said: "You can see in the pictures, their hands and fingers are silver from the dust. They don’t use gloves, masks or any protective clothing"

The Agency for Toxic Substance & Disease Registry states that medical studies have shown brain and bone disease developing in children who have ingested large amounts of aluminium.

Zakir wanted to show the conditions these children have to work in

Workers who breathe large amounts of aluminium dust can develop lung problems, such as coughing, shortness of breath and changes that show up in X-rays. There have also been studies that show people exposed to high levels of aluminium may develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Zakir said: “The current economic climate of Bangladesh means it is unable solve child labour problems.

International Labour Organization there are more than 168 million children trapped in child labour around the world

It’s not possible to ban [child labour] completely as the thing is it’s what these children’s families need. They don’t have any option other than to work. If the government really banned child labour in the country, the economy would be even worse. Their standard of living would go down even more.”