Bricks of Burden: A Day in the Life of Grassroot Builders

Two employees start their day by piling bricks onto an improvised stretcher created from bamboo poles and an old piece of cloth. Lacking mechanized carts, their stamina and balance are the sole means of transport.

Their eyes show no complaint, only focus. The bricks they carry build more than structures - they build livelihoods.

They say:

মজুৰীত সন্মান কম হয়, কিন্তু পেটৰ বাবে কাম কৰিবই লাগে। 

"Mazdoori mein izzat kam hoti hai, par rozi ki zarurat sabse zyada hoti hai."

With careful accuracy, the bricks are chosen and set. On each brick is a label—"RBL"—indicating a local brick kiln. The stack of bricks behind them indicates that the day's work is a long way off from completion.

For every structure that stands tall, there's a stack of invisible effort beneath it.

প্ৰত্যেকটা ইটৰ পাছত এটা কাহিনী আছে—আমাৰ কাহিনী। 

"Har eet ke peeche ek kahani hai—hamari kahani."

Through wet, uneven terrain, they march on. One in rubber boots, the other barefoot—the contrast illustrates the resourcefulness of those who work with what they have.

No wheelbarrow. No shortcuts. Just two men, a sling, and unshaken determination.

As they put it:

আমাক ত তো অভ্যাস হৈ গ'ল ভাই, ৰ'দ হওক বা বৰষুণ—কাজ বন্ধ নহয়। 

"Humein toh aadat hai, bhai. Dhoop ho ya baarish, kaam rukta nahi."

Bricks are set down slowly, not dumped. Care is involved. The man in yellow sets them in alignment, while his colleague readies for the next haul.

Labor is not just physical—it’s thoughtful, respectful, and careful.

After a trip, a bottle of water becomes a moment of luxury. Sweat-soaked clothes tell of effort. The gamocha around his neck is not just cultural—it's functional.

Every drop of water is as earned as every brick placed.

The work is relentless. But they return to the pile again—resilient, unwavering. Their rhythm is almost poetic.

They carry more than bricks—they carry the foundation of a society that often looks past them.

Written by Pragyan Chaudhary

Pragyan wrote this article as a participant of the Media-Makers Fellowship's May'25 cohort.