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90-year-old Niamat struggle for survival

He is over 90. His physical strength has waned and his hands tremble. Yet Niamat Molla’s struggle to make a living has not stopped. Every morning, he sits at the market with a boti to cut fish for customers. He earns Tk20 to Tk30 for cutting each fish. Some days he makes Tk200, on others Tk300. That modest income is enough to support his household of two, providing food and the medicines he needs. Defying the burden of age, his daily struggle with a boti in hand is a quiet story of survival. Hasan Mahmud took the photos at Masum Bazar, Pabna Sadar on 11 September 2026.

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Between 25 and 30 people cut fish at Masum Bazar in Pabna
Hasan Mahmud
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Amid the young workers there, an elderly man can be seen cutting fish
Hasan Mahmud
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Despite being over 90, Niamat Molla is still going about his work with remarkable determination
Hasan Mahmud
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Niamat Molla begins by scraping the scales off a fish
Hasan Mahmud
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Another elderly man, who has bought the fish, brings it to him to be cut
Hasan Mahmud
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Cutting large fish can be somewhat difficult for Niamat Molla as his strength has diminished with age
Hasan Mahmud
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Within a few minutes, Niamat Molla cuts the fish into pieces
Hasan Mahmud
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He cuts the fish to the size requested by the customer
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Niamat Molla’s two weathered hands and this sharp boti are the sole source of income for his household
Hasan Mahmud
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