When I first saw the screenshots of TeaKhushi Bangladesh’s job ad, I wasn’t angry like everyone else. I was confused. What was the fuss about?

The ad asked for an Assistant to the CEO. The pay is Tk20,000 to 25,000 a month. The job is to manage the CEO’s schedule, set up meetings, answer messages and write reports with a 9 hour working day. No prior experience is needed, but you must be a student or graduate of Dhaka University, North South or BRAC. 

Facebook went wild. Memes, jokes, angry comments. I think people are overreacting, so let me defend it.

You are 21. What are you doing with your day anyway? A few classes, some sleep, and a lot of doom-scrolling. Nine hours of work is not even half a day. Surely you can fit your degree into the leftover hours. Class notes can come from a friend, meeting friends can wait, sleep is for the weak, and habits can be changed.

And look at what you get: EXPERIENCE. You will sit near the CEO as their assistant. You will see how a company really runs. People say experience doesn’t pay the rent. True, but rent is a small thing. Rent never built anyone’s character.

Our elders told us the same story. Struggle now, enjoy later. Skip the holidays, work hard and one day life will be good. I am still waiting for that day, but I’m sure it’s coming. “Later” is a lovely place. It is just always a bit further down the road. Somehow it keeps getting further.

I love how nothing is wasted in this way of thinking. A long day is “discipline”. A missed class is “priorities”. A skipped lunch is “hustle”. An unpaid extra hour is “showing initiative”. Being tired is “growth”. Every bad thing turns out to be a gift in the end. And all of it is for the greater good. Nobody says who’s good. It sounds big and kind, so we nod.

So who actually gets the greater good? Let’s check. The student gives nine hours a day, plus classes, sleep and a bit of health. The student gets a line on the CV and a story to tell at 35: “I worked full time while studying.” 

The company gets someone to run the CEO’s day. The CEO gets a calendar that finally works. Everyone wins, apparently. But I kept waiting for the good to get bigger, to reach someone else, to become “greater”. It never did. It just stopped at the same few people. 

Notice who has to prove things, too. The young person must prove they are hungry, hardworking and grateful. The CEO doesn’t have to prove anything. Nobody says, “Show us how badly you want that big chair.” It’s like a circus. The performer walks the rope, juggles the fire and is told to prove how much he wants it. Meanwhile the audience sits in the front row with popcorn, and their only job is to clap and tell him how lucky he is to be on stage. 

To be fair, nobody is forced to apply. Many will, and some will learn a lot. That is why this argument works so well. It never needs to force anyone. It only needs to make the sacrifice sound like your own choice and a sign of good character. After that, it runs by itself. Young people tell each other to be thankful. Parents repeat it. Seniors who went through the  same thing defend it, because if it was pointless, what were they doing all those years?

That is the clever part. A hard start stops being a problem to fix and becomes a test to pass. And a test can’t be unfair. If you fail, you aren’t strong enough. 

So no, I won’t join the angry posts. Nine hours is a small price for a great  future. Studies can wait, sleep can wait, and honestly, the salary can wait too. I would apply myself, but someone has to stay behind and tell everyone how lucky they are. I have already picked my seat. Front row, of course.