Delivery men are underrated workers of the society. They make it possible for us to receive goods at home instead of having to pick it up ourselves. They are the people who make sure we do not have to starve, and deliver food to our home. Travelling under the scorching sun, braving the Dhaka traffic, all so that we can have things we want in the comfort of our own home, delivery men are the unsung heroes.
Nazim Uddin is one such worker who works tirelessly, catering to our demands. He moved to Dhaka from Bagerhat, two years ago, and started working at the age of twenty-two. “My first job was a very short one, and I quickly moved onto working as a delivery man for Pizza Factory. The job appealed to me because it meant that I could go to various places and have new experiences, instead of manning a desk or a gate all day,” he says. Although most delivery men have to be present for nine hours every day, Nazim Uddin likes to stay a few extra hours to help his supervisor till they close up. “I just hang around to see if there is anything they need help with. I live alone, away from home and really think of them as family so I am happy to do it!”
Traffic is a delivery man’s worst enemy. It takes the joy out of going places and delivering happiness to people
Traffic is a delivery man’s worst enemy. It takes the joy out of going places and delivering happiness to people. While most delivery men use the bikes provided by the establishment they work for, Nazim Uddin likes to take his cycle for delivering. He says, “I am comfortable riding my cycle and have gotten used to it. It is also easier to go through the narrow openings with a cycle than a bike in traffic. I am not very good with the bike and it just slows me down, so I use my own cycle. It is a great form of exercise too.”
Ashraf Khan, is another delivery man who works for an online makeup shop. He loves his job but recognises the difficulties as well. ‘Working around noon, when the sun is shining with all its might is hard, but every job has its drawbacks. It does get harder during Ramadan, so it is a relief that most orders are for iftar. That is not a fully good thing too since it can only mean one of two things, either I reach after iftar and deliver late, or I deliver in time for iftar, and have to break my fast in the road. But that is the story of half the working population so it is not a big deal,” complained Khan.
Once we get our hands on the goods, we pretty much forget the delivery man. Nazim Uddin says, “I am almost always greeted with a huge smile. The way they light up when they see me with their pizzas in my hand! I understand the enthusiasm is because of what I am carrying, but it is always nice to be greeted nicely isn’t it?”
“I believe it also has a lot with how I present myself. If I show up with an attitude, I cannot expect to be treated nicely. So I always make sure to have a smile on my face. Our work may seem a little hectic and a lot of hard work, it surely is. But, I am very happy with my job. My boss is a very nice person and I like riding my bike to new places every day. I am very satisfied with everything at the moment,” Ashraf khan adds.
A day in the life of a delivery consists of hours of trying to find the right addresses, and the pressure of delivering your things to you on time. Greeting them with a smile and exchanging a few pleasantries, is the least we can do for their services. Remember, a little kindness goes a long way!