At eleven he drives a lorry!

Bilwar Hussein is just eleven, but he can manoeuvre big trucks through national highways.

Bilwar Hussein is just eleven, but he can manoeuvre big trucks through national highways. He took to driving lorry a year back after his father, also a driver, developed a heart problem. Being the eldest son in his family, Bilwar owned the responsibility to earn the daily bread for his family.

He had no option but to discontinue his studies, and drop out from school in fifth standard.

HT Image

An easy choice for Bilwar was to join as an assistant for his driver father, moreover, this had an advantage that he could be with his ill father through out the day.

Often his father faced health problem. But, one day he had fallen very sick while they were in a lonely highway with the lorry loaded with perishable items.

The consignment worth a few lakh rupees was to reach on time, or would get spoil, and that was obvious as Reazuddin was in a position to drive. Seeing his father's condition, Bilwar insisted to drive the lorry up to a doctor. Though, initially his father did not allow, but later on pressing he was convinced. That's how Bilwar first started driving a lorry and he continued.

Today though Bilwar do not have a valid diving license, for which the authority refused him as do not have the minimum age of eighteen years, but he had not only drive lorry in his state Tripura, adding to it are other northeastern states like Meghalaya and Assam.

However, his father admits that it is not wise to allow Bilwar to drive a lorry but along with others who has seen his driving he is also confident that Bilwar is a very good driver and hopes that in the future he will do well.

Bilwar says, "At the age of ten I had first drive a lorry. As my father had fall ill I was very much worried about how our family would run and so learned driving. At first my father did not allow me to drive but I made his understand the fact that if something happened with him then our family shall get ruined and so he allowed me to drive. I think now at the age of 11 years age I can drive well. I have driven lorry in Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and many other places."

He further says, "Though, now it's my age to study, but the illness of my father has compelled me to choose driving as there shall be no other way to run our family if something worse happen with our ill father. I have studied up to class five. I now need a driving license but do not have, as my age, which is below 18, does not permit it."

His father Reazuddin says: "My monthly salary is around rupees 1500 with which its very tough to run my family and so I was compelled to engage my son, who had studied up to class five, in earning as an assistant of mine. Moreover, recently I was very ill due to heart problem. Now my son can manage to drive a lorry and he drives well, however, sometime in the sharp turnings and in front policeman I help him. The owner of lorry also knows that my son drives the vehicle buthe never complained about that till today. Ihave even tried for a driving licsence for my son but since his age does not permit that he was refused. I shall be grateful if I get something from the government so that my family can run, as I am badly ill."

"He was with me for the last one-and-a-half year or so and learned driving lorry by watching me.Initially though I opposed but later I was convinced and gave him a chance. Surprisingly he managed the lorry beyond my expectation. Other drivers and policemen who saw him driving all praised him though some others thought that it's not wise."