Eisenfresser (2007) - full transcript

Kurigram
North Bangladesh

Ready?
- Yes, almost.

Mum, I have to go.

Take care of yourself.

Kholil, tell my son to send some money.
- Will do.

I'm leaving now, sister-in-law.
Phone me if you need anything.

Hey, Kholil.

Kholil, your mother is following you.

Don't be sad!

Look after the children.
Spend the money on yourself.

I'll send more. You can spend all of it.



Please go back home now.

I still have to fetch some boys.

Hey, Nobir, why are you still in bed?

It's late!

Hurry up!

Why are you so late?
I came specially to wake you!

The boys are tired from the journey.
- Lame excuse!

We're just two minutes late!
- Show me your men!

Here they are.
- Who's new?

Some of them are really old hands.
- Come here a second.

Come here!

Can you cope with this sort of work?

Of course! I can do any work.

DO you kn Ow how it's done?



Yes, I do.

He'll manage.
The older guys will show him.

What about you?

What's your name?
- Nurnobi.

Done this work before?
- Yes.

Sure you eat enough?
He's too weak, Kholil!

He'll manage.
- He's not strong enough.

Together with the older guys,
he'll manage.

Make sure he eats enough.
- Right.

We don't want him to collapse.
- He'll eat after a hard day's work.

Shadul, how much do you earn per day?
- 88 Takas (1 .30 dollars).

That's not enough. He has to get more.

Then the others will want more too.
- No. He's really hard-working.

Some of them are a bit weak this time.

Well,
they're not specially bred chickens!

They can't all be the same.

Old and new combined,
I'm sure it'll work out fine.

Why are you never punctual?

They've all got families.

Their parents and wives don't want
to let them go.

Watch out! It's coming down!

Hey, Rafiq!

fill the holes in the floor
and wipe up the oil and water.

How am I meant to fill
such a big hole with mud?

No idea. I have to weld there.

We can't work in this mud!

Did you hear me?
- The floor has to be dry.

I don't give a damn if you put your head
or your arse in it. Get on with it!

I speak many different dialects
with the people from the north.

Some speak this, the others that,

it varies from person to person.

I have to speak their mother tongue,
or else they don't understand me.

I keep switching
from one dialect to the next.

Where are you from?
- I was born here in Chittagong.

But if I speak the local dialect,
they don't understand a word.

No matter what I say, I have to
translate it for everyone individually.

That part has to go!

The one on the far side?

No! The one in front!

Hey, wait!

Don't go so close to the edge!

You'll have to cut that middle part
and pull the parts out.

first the middle section has to
be pulled out. It will work somehow.

The problem is the upper part.
Either we cut it once more

or they try and pull it out
with a strong cable.

That's the cable pullers' problem.

At least we're rid of it.
- Exactly!

Hey, you at the front! What's up?

Don't fall asleep!

Keep pulling!
You have to keep the cable still!

Three men more and we'd have
the whole cable on our shoulders!

Not everyone's here yet.

These bastards! Straight after morning
roll call, they go and eat, shit...

As if they were on holiday here.

I wanted to pull at the end of the cable,
but he said, "You're not strong enough!"

Why don't you move forwards?

We work like animals.

You back there, keep the cable still!

Come on, don't stop!

The cable is heavy.

Damn heavy!

Watch out!
There are sharp splinters here.

Pull harder!

Harder!

stop! Stop!

Hey, you sons of bitches!
Why don't you get down?

Kholil, have you got Shahalom's number?
- Yes.

Then tell me, please.
- Okay!

Can't you remember the number?
- No, I've forgotten.

I'll give it to you, dial...

O173...

Wait.

Hello? Go ahead...

Hey, stay here with my phone!

Say something!

Damn idiot! Say something!

Come on, let me have it!

Hung up.

Hung up!

What are you grinning at?
Without saying a word.. .

They were all talking at the same time.

Is that why you just grinned stupidly
and didn't say anything? Moron!

Any idiots like that in Bangladesh?
- Sure, there are lots, in the north.

Damn, four women!

The idiot's paying out of his own pocket
but doesn't say a word.

There were four mothers
who all wanted to speak to their sons. ..

They all spoke at the same time.

So that's why
you're so speechless here in Chittagong!

Complete idiot!
- They come from the middle of nowhere.

I kept telling them
we need five-link chains.

But we always take four-link ones
and every time they're too short.

And when we pull the cable,
the chain gets stuck.

You don't weave the cables properly!
Two have ripped today.

That's why we're working till ten!
- What?

Thanks to the two that ripped
we can work two hours longer today.

So it's good if the cable rips?
- for us, yes.

Two hours more work!
- Exactly.

Give me money
and I'll let the cable rip.

for 20 Takas a day, I'll let each cable
rip three times. Okay?

With the big pieces,
if you let it rip four times

we have eight hours more work.
- How much will you pay?

20 Takas.

20 Takas,
that's only 2.50 Takas per hour!

Is that my yard over there?

No, it's more to the right.
- So we're going in the wrong direction!

To compensate for the wind and current.

I'm sure it's hard to workout.
Now I know how you lost all your hair.

The beaching is
of the essence for the breaking.

If the ship's too far from the beach,
the breaking is very expensive.

The cutters separate the big parts.

The cable pullers tie the cable
to the ship's parts.

Then they're pulled by machine.

That's expensive!

It's also very tiring
for the cable pullers.

I can really feel their agony.

But I'm afraid
that's the only my to do it.

This beach is great!
The only place where you can go aground.

The water's depth
and the length of the beach are ideal.

There's very deep water
and suddenly it becomes very shallow,

600 to 1200 metres wide.

If it were any wider, the ships
would be too far from the yard.

The ground is
naturally suitable for that.

It's heaven-sent!

We leased
part of the beach from the state.

Over there, where our offices
and the worker's barracks are,

there used to be
paddy fields and a few houses.

We bought the property.

We made a deal with the villagers.

Everywhere people look for advantages.

That's typical in Bangladesh.

You have to
give the locals "special treatment".

After we bought the property,
we had to offer them something.

We give them jobs supervising
the whole chain of work.

This means that
they look after the workers.

We call them contractors.

About 90 families live in the village.

Of course
they all want to be contractors.

But if I employ
more contractors than labourers,

it makes no sense.

That's why they chose
seven or eight representatives

who work as contractors.

The rest have founded
an association and get money from me.

They get a certain percentage
of each ton of iron delivered.

Currently it's 30/o of the sale price.

Look over there!

We asked the fishermen to stop
fishing here on the beaching route.

Not a single trawler to be seen,
except where the ship is coming in.

Now they're waving at us to stop us
from sailing through their nets.

That's become a business
for the fishermen.

If a ship is being grounded,

they deliberately cast their nets
in the fairway.

But I cannot put my ship in danger
just for a few lousy nets.

So I have to sail through the nets.

Later they'll tell me
it was a brand-new net,

and that the whole net was torn
and I should pay them 10,000 Takas.

Once we've passed the white flag,
we have made it.

The beaching was wonderful.
It's vital that the ship remains upright.

Later we'll use a winch
to pull it closer to the yard.

Considering the speed
and the draught, it was wonderful.

Congratulations, captain!

I'm going to Dhaka tomorrow.

Can I pay you the money
when I get back?

Pick up these screws!

Will you be away long?
- Yes, it might take a while.

Perhaps you can let the office know.
- Okay. I'll have a word with Faruq.

I'd prefer to sit somewhere else.
- No, sit next to me.

He's one of our nine contractors.

They are in charge of all the workers.

Now he wants money from me!

Was that necessary with the camera on?
- But that's the my it is!

I cut his payment by half.
He doesn't see why. He wants more money.

Business isn't going that well.
I've no idea how I should pay him!

We have to pay our workers too.

Everyone always tells me, "Don't Worry,
God will give you the money."

I'm still hungry.
Give me some more rice.

That's enough.
- Let him have more.

I eat as much as I want.

But you eat a lot!
- Of course.

Back home he drives a rickshaw.
- Exactly.

Yes, rickshaw drivers...

No matter how much they work,
rickshaw drivers have to eat lots.

Remember that
if you want to become a rickshaw driver.

The food ms good today.

Hey Djabor, who poured
the dishwater under your bed?

It wasn't me!

Djabor, you and your skinny little body!

Just skin and bones!

He's a godsend nonetheless.
Listen, you slowcoach!

Elephants may be big,

but they fall
on their face more often than ants.

Just because a man is big and strong
doesn't mean he can keep up.

Not even Mazid contractor?
- Certainly not him.

He could never pull as much as me!

He's a contractor,
eats loads and never works.

All he does is
sit in the car and eat.

They're all fat as hell! We work hard.
- They eat chicken drumsticks!

We work a lot and sleep too little.
Of course that's unhealthy!

People like him who fall asleep
before dinner are still children!

He can't be older than 18.
- Rubbish!

16 perhaps?
- No, even younger!

He's only 15 and has to work so hard.

How's he ever meant to get
a good education?

He won't.

Why's he here?
He has to earn some money!

Because of the poverty!

If we weren't so poor,
we'd be riding around on motorbikes

in fancy clothes too.

Do you want to go into business with me?

You'd better do that on your own!

I want to breed 200 geese.

I'll give you a boat.

You just sail around on your boat
and look after the geese.

Assuming

that 50 of the 200 geese are male.

The rest are female
and regularly lay 150 eggs.

Get it?

If we sold the eggs, we'd earn far more
than we do here in Chittagong.

I think I'd earn more here.
- Never.

A cable puller could never earn as much
as you with your 200 geese.

You can't earn the capital you'd need
as a cable puller.

Of course I can!
- How?

Goslings don't cost much.

You and your big plans.
In the end you won't do anything anyway!

Where's the yard manager?

Get him to come here.

I'm at the front
where the mo big ship parts are.

Are you going to the scrap market today?

How many trucks?

Close that umbrella!

Manzhu, how far have you got
with the next ship?

It's still going to take some time.

Can we pull it closer to the yard soon?
- We're doing our best.

But there are still
lots of big parts in the engine room.

We also have to be careful
that it stays upright.

Or else the ship will fall over.

Isn't the ship much lighter than before?
- Yes, it is.

But we still have to take out
the heavy cylinders

and pump out the water.

I don't care what you still have to do.
Just make sure

we can pull the ship
closer to the yard soon.

This ship here is our next job.

When the next full-moon tide comes,
we're going to pull it closer.

Once we've pulled this ship closer,

we'll only have
eight hours of work a day.

If we cable pullers
don't have enough to do,

the work here hardly seems worth it.

With Mizan, the Old owner, it was better.

But now his son's running the yard.

He's called Mohsin.

Mohsin isn't as good as his father.

His father was fond of us workers.

His son is just interested
in making a profit.

He wants to get rich quick.

His father used to come
to the yard far more often.

He'd talk to us.
He'd want to know how we were.

He motivated us.

Since his son took over the yard,
he drops in very rarely.

Mohsin is just a businessman.

Instead of ships, he buys steel plates
and stores them here at the yard.

He later sells the plates for a profit.

He buys new ships only

when he's sold all the plates.

That's why the contractors will soon
employ us for only eight hours.

I don't know what we'll do then.

We've attached this cable to the ship.

We're going to pull it
with mo engines at the same time.

Tell the engine driver to get a move On!

What's the matter?

Hey, get away from the cable!

Keep pulling!

Switch the engine off!
- At once!

Why didn't it work?
-The tide isn't high enough yet.

The ship has to be lighter.

The cutters will have to remove
more parts.

We'll try again tomorrow.

The next high tide
will be around lunchtime.

At about 2 p.m.

At about 1 .30 p.m.

Hamidul.

Hossain.

Kashem.

Sobhan.

Nurl Alam

Azizur.

Saiful.

Mainur.

Azizur.

Pulling ships is hard work.
I want more money.

I already had to beg for your money!

But it's really hard work!
- I had to beg for it anyway!

The contractors don't care
how hard we work.

Please work well, even though
we'll be getting fewer hours soon.

Okay,

Are those banknotes real?
They might be counterfeit!

Go and do the shopping!
- Why don't you go yourself?

Come on, stop making such a fuss!

But don't spend it all at once again.

Why do they always pay so late?

They originally wanted
to pay us on the 10th.

Now it's so late again.

A bit more!

That's enough!

That's close enough.
- More than enough.

Attach the cable!

fasten it securely!

The yard owner gave me
these 5,OOO Takas.

As a bonus for pulling.
- How much? - 5,OOO!

Just for you?

No, the engine operators
and foremen also get their share.

But that won't be enough for everyone!
- Well, a bonus is a bonus.

Be glad that you got one at all.

A bonus for you!
Don't take it for granted.

finished?
- Yes. At six.

The cutters and Kholil's cable pullers
will be finished at six today.

The rest are staying till seven.

Are you going to reduce their hours now?
-Yes. Orders from the contractors.

It's annoying when you have to
knock off two hours earlier.

Of course you get angry.

You earn 12 Takas an hour,

wear yourself out
and just before knocking off time,

you lose your arm when the cable rips...

Then you've had it for good.

If they don't have any work for us,
we just sit around unpaid.

If there is work,
we have hardly any breaks.

Ship breaking is only for people
who have nothing to lose.

Only the poorest of the poor end up here.
They have no other choice...

Do you want
to keep philosophising or work?

The break's over.
- I'm coming.

I have loads of debts to pay off.
What else can I do?

Either throw yourself in front of a train
or keep going here!

You have to work hard here
if you want to earn any money.

Right, back to work!

Corners hot. - Heyo.
- Edge hot. - Heyo.

Lift it up, everyone!
- Heyo.

The plate has just been cut.
The edges are very hot!

You can't carry it that hot!

Sorry, boys, we have to do it.

Take a cloth for your shoulders!

Oh, my brothers! - Heyo.
- Keep going! - Heyo.

Can you still feel anything? - Heyo.
- Take the cloth. - Heyo.

Put it underneath! - Heyo.
- Still burning? - Heyo.

If you can't keep in step,
get lost.

Hanging in there? - Heyo.
- Look ahead ! - Heyo.

Can't hear you! - Heyo!
- Plate up high! - Heyo!

Is it heavy? - Heyo.
That's a lie! - Heyo.

Do you want to... - Heyo.
...let go? - Heyo.

You're going to make it! - Heyo.
Young brothers! - Heyo.

Sing, brothers! - Heyo.

The longer you sing... - Heyo.
...the longer you live. - Heyo.

Higher with that plate! - Heyo.
- Onto the truck! - Heyo.

Done it.

I had an argument
with the foreman today.

The contractors suggested

that my cable pullers
should also carry plates.

Just like you.
- Carry plates?

You'll never manage.
- Of course we will!

Let your gang try!

You'll never manage
more than three trucks.

If you're motivated, you'll manage
three at most, then you'll all collapse.

Go on, try!
Each gang has to do 10 trucks a day.

You have three and a half men per gang.

We don't want to carry plates.

If there's no cable-pulling work,
they should pay us off.

We want to go home for the rice harvest.

We have to pay back
what we owe the grocers.

Our debts?

Everything we've bought on credit so far.

Well, then let them come and get it!
It's their yard, their contractors.

Why don't they get it
from the contractors?

They and their contractor brothers
make a lot of money out of us.

They should collect the money from them.

I told them, too,

"You're all in this together!"

Let's go to the contractors!

Who do you want us
to get beaten up by first?

By everyone!

The contractors beat us up
if the workers leave.

The workers and the shop-owners
if they don't get their money.

Let's talk to the contractors first.

Why should we let them beat us up?

They should pay us our money!
- At least an advance.

Or else all the workers
will be gone soon.

They have to feed their families!

In the north,
the rice harvest is starting soon.

Come on!

Now?
- Of course! Immediately.

But I wanted to go for a tea.
- No. Don't be a coward !

Why don't you keep walking?
Are you scared?

Let me at least finish my cigarette.
Go ahead without me.

Just staying here means we're cowards!

We need to talk to you.

I don't have any time right now.

They were just showing off
for the camera. They had no appointment.

The grocers have threatened
the workers because of their debts.

Nonsense. Why should they?

The workers always have
debts with the grocers.

The workers are exaggerating.
Plain exaggeration!

This yard has a good reputation.

Even if someone worked here
three years ago,

he still gets his money.

It's hard-earned money.
Why should we keep it?

We're a contractors' collective.
We don't embezzle.

We always pay them. There's nothing
that the workers can hold against us.

Don't listen to the workers.
Don't believe what they say!

The advance payment is high enough.

But they don't tell you that.
- We always pay that in advance.

The wages are paid mo weeks later.
They've got debts.

That's why stopped their payments.

The grocers told us,

"The workers owe us lots of money.
Please help us!"

Hey, you dirty bastard,
why aren't you up there?

My little brother's getting hot-headed. He
needs money for his workers.

He owes his boys 19,000 Takas,
but he's only got 10,OOO.

Come on, keep pulling!

What do you mean "stop"?
No stopping here!

faster!

Hey, there's someone in here!

Where? Who?

Damn idiot!
- He's alright!

The bonehead knew it was coming down!

Smack him in the face!
- He got in from the other side.

I told him not to go in there!

He wanted to help pull the cable up.

Sultan, smack this idiot
with your umbrella!

They'll never learn.

The cable ms already up.

This is how these bloody morons die!

Now calm down up there!

Where is he?

Where's he gone to now?

Run away. He's probably scared shitless.

Lucky bastard!

Let's go to the watering place.

Hey, not with that dirty water!

It's okay, it's sea water.
It contains salt, it's not that bad.

How is it?

The wound is so deep.
All the skin's Off.

It could've been far worse.

We'd better take water from the well.

Remove the cloth.
- No, not here!

Stop making such a fuss!
- I can't help it.

It's nothing. Don't worry!

Leave the cloth on! Try walking.

Be careful.

When you've had a shower
you can go to the doctor's.

Things like that can happen!

But he's lost lots of blood.

Wait for me.

Try putting your weight on your foot...

You'd better carry him.

Hello!

How are you?
- fine.

Pardon?

Sorry, I forgot.

Okay, will do.

Yes, the ship-breaking business
isn't going that well.

The ships are simply too expensive
at the moment.

Well, you have to pay
400 dollars per ton and more.

Most of them are even more expensive.

And often they're
in a really bad condition, too.

But business has to
keep going regardless.

After all, I want to get back
to my wife in the evening.

Pick up that screw down there.

How often do you come to the yard?
- Nowadays I very seldom come.

I used to come here every day.

Now my son is in charge.

The contractors are in charge of
making sure the breaking runs smoothly.

And my son is now their boss.

Our yard is called PHP.
You know what PHP stands for?

Peace, Happiness and Prosperity.

It's more than a slogan.
It's reality, our existence.

It's a dream, an inspiration.

That's the feeling everyone has here.

These men are our contractors.
We work together as partners.

There's no written contract.

We started this yard together in 1982.

We've been working together
for more than 22 years.

There are no written agreements.

Are there, Mozid?
- No. That's right.

But there've never been any problems!

Our agreement is like
the British constitution.

It doesn't exist in written form.

On the American dollar it says:

"In God we have faith."

NO!

"In God we trust."

That is our philosophy.

That is why I am so happy:

In my whole life I've never faced
any labour problems.

Any violence, intolerance,
or impatience amongst the workers.

Because I love my workers.
And they love me very much.

You know, the biggest disease
in the world today is not leprosy.

It's not diabetes, it's not tuberculosis,
it's not cholera, it's not cancer.

The biggest disease today in the world is

the feeling of being unwanted.

Osman, there's a horrible smell here.

The workers shit everywhere

because there are no longer any toilets.

And the shipowners also leave
their shit on board

when they sell their vessels.

When we cut the ship up,
the pipes are still full.

Nobody does any cleaning.

Of course there's a terrible stench !

Today's not too bad.
On some days it's much worse.

Shit! Get out!
- Get him out of there!

Get some water!

Did you get Osman out?
- Yes, he's safe.

Thank God you were up there.

Actually, all the oil
should be bound with sand

or covered with mud.

That's when the cutting should begin.
But there's not enough time for that.

So we have lots of fires here.
- Is all that oil?

Yes. Recently four cutters died
in a neighbouring yard.

The air in the ship was poisonous.

The first cutter who went down
lost consciousness immediately.

The second one who wanted
to get him out also lost consciousness.

Another mo went down
and used cloths as masks.

In the end they died down there, too.

We couldn't get the bodies Out that day.

Later we cut big holes in the ship
and got the corpses out three days later.

They were all bloated.

If we'd gone down right away,
we'd be dead too.

Oh, my dear boats man,
had I known before,

I'd never have entered
your sinking boat.

Listen to me, dear boats man!

If only I had known

I would never have sat
on your boat today.

The river seems to have no banks.

I can no longer see the shore.

If the whole boat should sink now...

what will become of us, boats man?

If only I had known,

I would never have sat
on your boat today.. .

His 14 men got 1,OOO Takas.

Now they're even postponing
the weekly payment.

What does the yard manager say?

He said, "I don't want to get involved."

Why? He's screwing you and doesn't pay.

Of course! Screwing us is always fun.
- Paying is not.

They're always putting
pressure on us at work.

Every Friday we have to go begging.

Last Friday it was exactly
the same drama.

We always have to beg for our money.

What can I say?
I don't have any influence.

But the work's always got to
be done quickly!

You don't give a damn about us!

If I were your foreman,
I'd have gone to see the contractors.

Talk to your foreman or the contractors.

The contractors should pay everyone off.
My men want to go home.

If we were talking about alms,
I could understand

that I have to chase after the money.

But this is our hard-earned money!
Why should we beg for it?

I'm worried.

I don't know
how my family is meant to survive.

I'm frustrated.

I left my wife and children
alone at home.

Khadir is going home today.

I wanted to give him some money.
But I don't have any.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do
when he's gone.

My family needs the money.

Khadir, why are you leaving?

Where are you going?
- Home.

Working here is no longer worth it.

It doesn't make sense anymore.

You don't get your money on time.

How is my family meant to survive
if things stay like this?

I've waited long enough.

If I stay any longer
my family will have to borrow money.

I can survive on the work here,
but my family can't.

In the end we'll be
heavily in debt to our neighbours.

If I work as a rickshaw driver at home
or harvest rice,

we can at least get by from day to day.

That's why I've decided to go home.

I'm leaving shortly.

You can't all go crazy
just because one person's leaving!

If you pay off one man, you have to
pay everyone! Simple as that!

You've paid some of us.
What about me? I work too!

You'll get some soon.
- No, today!

I'd really like to give you some.
- Then do it. My family is waiting.

Pay us once and for all!
- We've waited long enough.

The first payment was only 1 ,OOO.

You wanted to give us the rest later.

He's just our uncle for show!
-You've forgotten us!

I've forgotten you?
- What else?

I work just as hard as you.

Do you even know what it's like for us?
- I most certainly do!

Have you been to the office?

Why don't you go to the contractors?

The cash desk is closed.
- Who cares about the cash desk?

What should I do?

You should've gone
to see Yashim contractor!

Or Mazid contractor.

Being too patient isn't good either.
There are limits.

Sometimes patience isn't useful.

I already told you this morning
to go to the office.

I'll take care of it.
- Go to Yashim contractor!

No, I'm not going to see him.
- But you must.

What a wimp.

He's too much of a coward.

If there were
a few nutters in the group,

he'd have been
knifed in the gut long ago.

He's just plain lucky

that his group
consists of such nice guys.

How many times have you deducted
advances from our wages?

How many times have you deducted
advances from our wages?

That's for us to decide!
- Why are you deducting all of it now?

Nonsense!

His group can't pay their debts.
Currently about 20,OOO.

Kholil, do you want to pay him 20,OOO
from your wages?

Yes, my boys spent it on groceries.

Your workers earned
22,788 Takas last month.

Less 20,OOO.

And that's final.
-That's not enough.

I'm only going to give you
what you earned.

They eat more than they earn!

Give me the money.
I'll pay our debts with the grocer.

I can't give you any cash.
Get the grocer, I'll talk to him.

Stop showing off.
I'm not making any exceptions!

Okay, then pay when you can.
- Agreed.

We want that in writing...
- No, not today.

...and then you can pay us later.

When you pick up the money,
I'll give you something in writing.

Get your grocer!
- Okay, I'll be right back.

Do you know why I have to act this way?

If I give them cash,
they'll go straight home.

Then I can close up.

Do you understand my problem?
- Yes.

That's why we pay them like this.

They can still get groceries
and their debts will be set off.

Get him to sign
and give the grocer his money.

Get on with it.

Not a single bastard dared
to say anything up there.

They've deducted all our debts
and advances from our wages.

They don't care about the workers!

Did they deduct everything
from your payment too?

Did you get any money?

Do we have to beat up the contractor
to get our money?

We always have to dance to their tune.

They always have
the last word anyway.

But they can't do that to us!
We work ourselves to death.

Who's meant to look after our families?
How should they get by?

We're going to make it this time!
- Yes!

If you don't get that well laid down,
I'm going to lay your wives.

You wimps!
- Heyo!

Pull that cable!
- Heyo!

As hard as you can!
- Heyo!

My young brothers!
- Heyo!

Aren't you up to it?
- Heyo!

Then get lost!
- Heyo!

It's fun!
- Heyo!

You wimps!
- Heyo!

Pull even harder!
- Heyo!

Watch out! It's coming down!

That's one of my mo sons.

I haven't seen them
for almost four months.

In the end,
we were all just arguing at the yard

and so far I haven't seen a single Taka.

These bloody bastards promise
us workers lots of money

and then they don't pay.

They pocket it all themselves!
There's nothing left for us.

I'm never going back to Chittagong!

If I keep working in Chittagong,
I won't live much longer.

This wound will have healed
in six months at the earliest.

Look, my shoulder has had it.

Such hard work, and you don't even
get any money to go home.

I had to leave behind
everything I earned down there.

I'm never ever going back to the yard.

That was a big mistake.

During the monsoon season
I will cast a fishing net here.

If God lets me live that long,

I will earn 100 Takas a day
from the fish I catch.

They way I can earn money from home.

fish as big as this...

Some people earn 500 Takas a day
during the monsoon season.

We waste our opportunities
and let them exploit us down there.

I'll try anything to avoid having
to leave my home again.

Or at least go far from my home.

We've organised new workers,
not reduced the work.

We don't wait for anyone.

You can see
how many trucks are leaving the yard.

So business goes on.

They all go home at harvest time
and then come back.

They're very clever, believe me.
Cleverer than us.

Some of them told me
they're never coming back.

Of course they'll be back.

By the end of the month
our yard will be full again!

I don't even have to pay any advances.

They'll always come back to work.