BANGLADESH: the slaves of the bamboo | France 5 | Les Routes de l'Impossible

They are slaves of the green gold. They climb the hills of the north of Bangladesh to fell the precious bamboo trees, which they then assemble into a giant floating raft. To reach Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, they must face three hundred kilometers of swamp and rivers. The journey of this extraordinary convoy will take nearly a month and go through eye-catching landscapes. This indomitable monster, 80 metres long and 40 wide, is handled by a mere six wretched men. On the banks of the river, their children work under equally abominable conditions… It’s the end of the rainy season and the water level is falling rapidly. If the convoy runs aground the cargo will be lost. For the crew it’s the start of a race against the clock…