Child labourers exposed to acid

They work in stove burner factories without protection, earn Tk 200-250 a week
As darkness descends on the Buriganga river, Tauhid begins blowing sulphuric-acid-dipped nozzles of stove burners in bare mouth being completely unaware of the corrosive impacts the acid would leave on his body.
Tauhid tests several hundreds of such burners throughout the evening with his uncle, none of them wearing any precautionary measures.
Physicians say acid as a corrosive substance would cause deep burns and damages to different parts of the body including kidneys and corneas of the eyes.
But it is life risk for the children who work at such factories only for Tk 200-250 a week.
There are at least 25 such factories producing stove burners in Keraniganj. Many of them have no names, leave alone registration, and employ mostly children for the hazardous work.
Tauhid takes the risk in vain as he would not get any money in return. He is just helping his uncle Khokon, who is trying to establish his factory in Tinpatti in Keraniganj near the bank of the Buriganga.
Khokon has five employees including three children who work over 12 hours a day at his yet-to-be-named factory. Tauhid works from 9:00am till 7:00pm six days a week. He sometimes does overtime for three more hours if it is necessary.
“Children should not be allowed to work with dangerous acid solution. Eyeglasses, hand gloves and masks are a must while working with such solution,” says Dr Samanta Lal Sen, project director, burn unit, Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
If acid comes in contact with the body it can cause perforation of the eyes, he explains. If someone mistakenly drinks acid or its solution, it might cause infection in the kidneys, stomach and oesophagus in the long run.
It is, however, less dangerous blowing the nozzles without any precaution for these working children who even used to make acid solution wearing only hand gloves.
Chemists fear explosion might occur anytime during production of the solution in unsafe condition at these factories.
“The more the acid would be concentrated the more it would be damaging. And there is also a process for making sulphuric acid solution. It would be dangerous if anyone tries to make it by putting water into acid. One has to pour acid into water to make the solution,” says Prof Dr M Muhibur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Chemical Society.
“Even if sulphuric acid is diluted, it might cause harm to the children. Concentration is an important matter to be considered for making acid solution,” he adds.
The people engaged in making the solution don’t have any idea about concentration of acid.
Moreover, the workers may come into contact with acid anytime as they put the deadly substance in the middle of the congested teen-roofed factory where there is hardly enough space to move.
Labour and Employment Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said, “The condition in which children are found working is undoubtedly hazardous and risky.
“I did not know about the situation and matter,” the minister said.
“We should not shut down the factories before generating alternative employment or income source for these children. I will ask the directorate of labour and inspector of factory to take immediate measures in this regard,” he added.
“It would be life threatening if we do any mistake while making the solution. It would burn the entire body. But nothing would happen as I have been working in these factories for about a decade without any accidents. I do not need any training,” says Mohammad Halim, who makes sulphuric acid solution at a factory.
He adds the solution is made in a ratio of one mug of acid against five mugs of water. However, they don’t have any idea about concentration of the acid they are working with.
“Acid generates heat when it is mixed with water. If more acid is mixed with comparatively less water, it would generate more heat and may cause explosion,” says Prof Nilufar Nahar.
Back at Khokon’s factory, they make acid solution after producing 300-400 burners to have those washed and cleaned.
It takes a fortnight to make such production. Khokon produces 1,000-1,200 burners every month and uses 10kg acid he buys from Armanitola for the cleaning purpose.
Once the burners are dipped into sulphuric acid solution, those are thrown into the Buriganga, contributing to the river pollution. After that Tauhid starts blowing brazen pipes of the burners to have those properly cleaned.
“It tastes a bit sour. I do not feel anything bad in my body. I am okay,” says Tauhid, a class six student who left school about six months ago.
But sores on his swollen lips were clearly seen during the conversation.

Courtesy of The Daily Star