BANGLADESH, A DEADLY RACE | France 5 | Les Routes de l'Impossible

In Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world, the struggle to survive often begins in childhood. In the overcrowded streets of Dhaka, on the vast rivers of the Ganges Delta, and in the textile factories that clothe the world, millions of children work to help support their families.

At just 13 years old, Sujon is already driving a delivery truck through the chaos of the capital. For ten hours a day, he transports dangerous chemicals through massive traffic jams. “I drive every day and give my wages to my mother.”

On Bangladesh’s roads, another battle is raging: the bus wars. “If I overtake him, I get the passengers before he does,” explains Fazlur. Drivers overtake each other at breakneck speed, sometimes going onto the shoulder or into the dust to avoid oncoming vehicles. Their interpretation of the rules of the road often comes down to one thing: make it through or crash! Fazlur and Imran sometimes work for more than 24 hours straight. It is a relentless race in which every journey feels like a gamble.

Three hundred kilometres away, 12-year-old Obaï sets off with his uncle Sadek on a giant raft made from 5,300 bamboo poles. For several days, he battles strong currents, exhaustion and the dangers of the river. The young boy dreams of a different future: “I’d rather go to school and get a good job.”

The river has also become a dumping ground for a country struggling under the weight of its rapid growth. In Dhaka’s polluted waterways, thousands of children collect bottles and plastic packaging to sell for a few cents to recycling companies.

Everywhere, the same battle is being fought. Everyone is trying to earn a few euros in a country where millions of people still live in poverty. Yet they are all driven by extraordinary energy, courage and a fierce determination to build a better life.