During the monsoon, the haors of Sunamganj take on the appearance of the sea, with vast stretches of water surrounding the area. As people become virtually confined by water, boats become the only means of transportation.
Yet the determination of young children to pursue education does not stop. Despite heavy rain and storms overhead, the risk of lightning and dangerous waves, they travel to school every day at the risk of their lives to pursue their dreams.
This is the story of children studying at government primary schools in the haor areas of Shalla upazila in Sunamganj.
With no alternative roads, students of several government primary schools—including Shantipur, Jatrapur and Yarabad—among the 107 schools in Shalla rely solely on small, worn-out dinghy boats.
These small boats often carry more children than their capacity while navigating strong currents. At any moment, they could be involved in an accident due to strong winds or waves created by larger boats. Yet the children have no safety equipment.
Despite these adverse conditions, students continue to travel to school at considerable risk to their lives.
Such scenes were observed during visits to several schools in the area.
Students said they feel afraid travelling to school in small boats during the monsoon. Their schoolbags often get soaked in the rain, while cold weather causes colds and fevers. Lightning and waves also make the journey dangerous, and boats can even capsize. When the weather is bad, they cannot attend school properly, which disrupts their education.
They said they would feel much safer if the schools provided better boats for their transportation. Their parents and teachers also remain worried about their safety.
Parents Birbal Das and Saikul Mia said there was no road from their village to the school during the monsoon because the school was located in the haor.
They said a local person had been assigned to transport the children to and from school in a small dinghy boat in exchange for payment.
“We remain frightened every day after sending our children to school and do not feel relieved until they return home. But thinking about their future, we are forced to endure this terrifying fear,” they said.
Boat operators Sadi Mia and Podoi Das, who transport the students, said they travel with the children to and from school during the monsoon.
They said they have to navigate strong currents, sudden storms, lightning and large waves. At times, they themselves become frightened when the boat rocks in the waves, but they still try their best to take the children safely to their destination.
Aparna Rani Das, acting headteacher of Jatrapur Government Primary School, said students from five villages attend the school.
“The children from the haor areas are very talented and highly interested in education. But during the monsoon, they have to come to school at extreme risk. They become very frightened when the weather suddenly deteriorates. Their school materials often get wet in the rain, and many of them fall sick with colds,” she said.
She said lightning often begins as soon as it rains, making teachers extremely worried about the students.
“Many people have died in boat capsizes in this area. There are strong currents and large waves in the haor. A few days ago, one of our students was swept away into the haor by waves while coming to school. He was later rescued using a larger boat,” she said.
She added that parents often do not allow children to attend school when the weather is bad, causing significant disruption to their education.
“If the government could provide proper boats for these schools and at least life jackets for every child, their lives would become somewhat safer,” she said.
Pallabi Rani Talukder and Abdul Hamid, headteachers of Shantipur and Yarabad Government Primary Schools respectively, expressed similar concerns.
Parimal Chandra Ghosh, upazila primary education officer, said several primary schools in Shalla were located inside the haor areas.
“Teachers and students here travel to school at the risk of their lives. Many of them do not even know how to swim. I will draw the attention of the higher authorities so that quality boats can be arranged to ensure safe travel for teachers and students,” he said.
Shalla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Piyas Chandra Das said Shalla was a haor-dominated region where students of several primary schools had to travel by boat during the monsoon despite considerable difficulties.
“I will inform the higher authorities so that safe and proper arrangements can be made for these young children to travel to and from school,” he said.
The children of the haor region are fighting against nature to gain access to education. But the question remains: How long will they have to risk their lives to travel to school every monsoon?
Teachers, students and parents believe immediate government and institutional action is necessary to protect the children’s lives and ensure that their determination to pursue education is not put at risk.
