The pattern of their labour is surprisingly similar. They sweep the floor, wash their face, prepare breakfast for whenever the householders and their children require it. They clean and cut vegetables, sometimes prepare the meal. They look after the house, wait on visitors, and if there is a party, are expected to serve all comers. They are also nearly always the last to go to sleep after they have cleared away the evening meal, washed the vessels and set the house in order for the morning.
People are often unaware of the degree to which they depend on their servants.
They say, 'Oh, she does nothing very much,' but in practice, their presence is indispensable to the running of the household. In Dhaka, there are three options for poor young women. All involve clothes. It is far from evident which is the least onerous fate. Helen Rahman does not believe that attacking child domestic labour from a high moral position is particularly helpful.