Transcription BD
01:49: Hey, where are you going?
01:51: Come back!
02:03 I've been working on the boats for about 25 years
02:09 The water was clean back then
02:11 We'd go out to far places, we can't now
02:15 They've built many roads that get in the way
02:19 The cars are here now
02: 22 Other means of transport
02:27 My name is Abul Hussain
02:33 Back then, when I started
02:35 All this wasn't on the banks
02:42 Everybody uses this river for all sorts of purposes
02:45 Not everyone does the same thing
02:48 The government uses the water from here for the fire department
02:52 Loads of boats sink here
02:54 People legally and illegally drag the sunken ships to and from the river
03:00 People have lost all their possessions
03:07 People come from outside the area
03:10 They come from everywhere to work on the river
03:15 They come for business, for washing
03:18 and many other things
03:35 My name is Mohammad Adnan
03:41 After my father's death
03:42: I stayed with my grandparents in my village
03:46 Then I came to Dhaka city
03:52 I used to go to school
03:55 But then we couldn't afford it
04:03 I knew about Sadharghat through my uncle
04:08 He introduced me to my current boss
04:13 Who gave me this job in the boathouse
04:19 People are nice and friendly here
04:23 That's why I like it here
04: 26 Although I don't know
04:28 If they like me or not
05:06 My main objective here is to earn money
05:09 For a small business of my own
05:12 It could be in my village or in Dhaka city
05:15 I want to be a very successful man in the future
05:36 We used to drink this water many years ago
05:41 We don't any more
05:44 During the time of east Pakistan we had a water tank
05:51 It supplies the whole town
05:53 Even now it still works
05:55 With the help of electricity
05:58 the water is heated and boiled
06:02 They add chemicals to purify it and put it to many uses
06:11 but they still don't drink it
06:14 They buy bottled water to drink
06:17 Small factories refine the river water
06:21 and collect dye residue and use it to make cheap clothing
06:29 Acidic water, dye and many other liquids all go back into the water
06:33 Along with all the dirt from people's houses
06:38 The river is being destroyed
06:47 From Sham Bazaar to Sadharghat port at least 50,000 people come and go
07:00 The poor people collect all the floating bits of plastic and papers
07:05 The dry them on the banks then sell them to small factories
07:13 Then they make small toys out of them
07:32 I've got no interest in this dirty river
07:37 I never cross it
07:40 I don't have peace inside
07:42 so I don't enjoy anything in life or nature
08:11 My name is Sumi
08:18 When the Awami League government took power
08:20 They started torturing us
08:24 I used to help my people, my party and that's why I had to leave home
08:31 I became an enemy of the government party because I saved an opposition MP
08:39 We had to escape to the city
08:44 For months I just wandered around
08:46 Then I started work here
08:50 I know the Awami League party might attack me
08:53 But I'll return to my village when I can
08:56 If after 4 years the Bangladesh National Party comes to power
08:59 Then I can live in peace
09:01 and my parents can search for my groom
09:03 So for the next four years I have to struggle
09:06 to survive in Dhaka city
09:12 I got a job in an aluminium recycling factory
09:19 Making new things from old metal
09:23 I worked there for about 5 or 6 years
09:26 I worked with fire and fine glass
09:28 It causes lung problems
09:31 but we're poor people, we have to work
09:34 We have problems finding food to eat anyway
09:39 If we get sick then we're in bigger trouble, that's why I left
09:52 My name is Sagor
09:54 My father was driving a van
09:57 and earning very little money
10:02 and we had to struggle with that
10:05 Then we all came to Dhaka
10:08 and I started working
10:10 and also my father's working
10:14 Now I earn TK400 a week
10:19 and we all live with that money somehow
10:24 We had some accidents
10:26 Once the dice burst and it cut my hand
10:31 One person's arm and leg got cut off
10:33 The belt came off and cut someone's hand
10:33 When you apply oil, hands get cut off if the goods jump up
10:47 What can I do? We have to eat
10:55 Some people come on Thursdays
10:58 with milk and sweets
11:01 They pray, the leave all the gifts in the water
11:09 Many things happen because of the river
11:13 The river's name is higher life
12:36 When I was young I dreamt of becoming a writer
12:39 I saved my money and didn't spend it on food
12:44 I spent it learning to read and write
12:50 But I've still been unable to follow my dreams
12:52 I'm worried that if I stop working
12:56 I won't be able to provide for my kids
13:02 Allah has created me
13:04 I am not here to stay
13:26 Nothing would exist without the river
13:30 We need it to survive
13:33 because the river is here, we are here
13:37 It's allowed us to move forward in life