While Labor Day typically brings attention to garments workers, construction laborers, and transport employees, one group remains largely invisible despite working tirelessly in the glare of lights, cameras, and celebrity glamour: the backstage crew of Bangladesh\u2019s television and film industry. From assistant directors, set builders, lightmen, makeup artists, to production managers \u2014 these individuals are the uncelebrated workforce who carry the burden of every drama, movie, and advertisement, often without recognition, security, or compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take Abbas, a seasoned production manager with 23 years in the industry, who is currently supervising the shoot of an upcoming Eid special in Purbail. \u201cWe arrive before everyone and leave after all the work is done,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen the show airs, nobody knows we were even there. Our names appear at the very end \u2014 if at all \u2014 and no one reads them. But the work lives on, even if the name doesn’t.\u201d Even on May Day, these workers are on set, reflecting a life where labor continues regardless of acknowledgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The absence of a formal salary structure or permanent contracts makes this profession precarious. Workplace accidents or sudden job loss often go uncompensated, as there are no legal frameworks to demand justice. Abbas shares his concern: \u201cGod forbid if I face an accident today, my family will bear the burden. We are like day laborers \u2014 we have no authority to demand more. Even if a production house owes us money, and we report it to the associations, legally there’s nothing we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raj, an assistant director working for the past seven years, shares a heartbreaking memory: \u201cLast Eid, I worked on six productions. There were days during Ramadan when everyone was breaking their fast and I was rushing to New Market or preparing the next scene with just a date in my mouth. I edited through Chand Raat. When I asked for my payment after submitting the final product to channels and platforms, they said payment would be made after airing. I couldn\u2019t go home. I spent Eid with an empty pocket, in old clothes, crying alone in my mess. And I am not alone in this \u2014 every assistant director has gone through this, or is still going through it.\u201d Still, Raj acknowledges the exceptions \u2014 industry veterans who have offered support during times of personal crisis, providing not just money, but mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all is bleak, though. Some stars actively appreciate their unit crew, offering bonuses, arranging iftar meals, or lending personal support. Popular actors like Arsh Khan and Aisha Khan see the production team as family. \u201cThese people behind the camera are vital. We feel special because of the care they provide,\u201d says Arsh. He recalls moments where tired crew members, burdened with 30 kg equipment, would still make way for him on stairs. \u201cThat\u2019s when I realize how lucky I am,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aisha Khan echoes similar sentiments. \u201cEvery compliment I receive, every scene that looks perfect, is their doing,\u201d she says. From carrying luggage to ensuring she has water or tea, from helping her embody a character to setting the lighting that flatters her best angles \u2014 the crew is her unseen support system. \u201cAssistant directors guide us through each sequence. The makeup team builds our confidence. They make us feel secure,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet the reality isn\u2019t always so heartwarming. There have been instances of crew members facing abuse \u2014 not only from actors but also from directors and producers. Just last year, a production manager named Din Islam Dinar accused director Rubel Anush of physical assault over a pay dispute. In protest, several production managers threatened to go on strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Industry organizations, while attempting to offer support, have not implemented any universal labor policies or healthcare structures. According to Abu Zafar, president of the Television Media Production Manager Association, they constantly monitor payment and treatment across units. \u201cComplaints about unpaid dues and mistreatment are regular. We meet with other associations frequently, but the problems persist,\u201d he admits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The assistant directors’ union, Television Assistant Directors Organization of Bangladesh, presents an even grimmer picture. President Jibon Roy states, \u201cWe often join a project from the early planning stage, a month before production even begins, but we remain unpaid long after broadcast. If we demand payment, we risk being dropped from future projects. We\u2019re the most exploited.\u201d Despite repeated demands for contracts and fixed working hours, nothing has materialized. \u201cNot everyone becomes a director. Many leave the industry out of frustration. Those who stay are in a constant state of uncertainty,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One glimmer of hope lies in the Confederation, a collective initiative representing professionals across film, television, and digital platforms. While their goals aim high, including labor rights reform and standardized welfare policies, the pace of change remains slow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As another Labor Day passes, the lights shine on-screen, but the real labor \u2014 the sweat, the sacrifice, and the silent tears \u2014 stays behind the curtain, unseen and unheard.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While Labor Day typically brings attention to garments workers, construction laborers, and transport employees, one group remains largely invisible despite working tirelessly in the glare of lights, cameras, and celebrity glamour: the backstage crew of Bangladesh\u2019s television and film industry. From assistant directors, set builders, lightmen, makeup artists, to production managers \u2014 these individuals are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6155,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-5"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6153"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6159,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153\/revisions\/6159"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hernet.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}