Student Walks 5km Daily to School, Advocates Against Child Marriage

Suranjana Rani, a 10th-grade student from the indigenous Kol community in Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila, Bangladesh, dreams of a society free from child marriage, which she views as a social ill and a human rights violation. Born into a poor family in Bil-Boiltha village, her parents, Shri Sushil Kol and Shrimati Amiya Rani, work as agricultural laborers on others' land. Despite significant economic and social challenges, Suranjana's dedication to education is remarkable. She walks approximately five kilometers daily from her village to the Babudaiang Alor Pathshala, located in the Barind region of Godagari Upazila, Rajshahi district. This school, run by the Protichhlo Trust, provides her with free education, for which she is deeply grateful. Beyond her studies, Suranjana excels in agriculture, dance, and drawing. She aspires to pursue higher education, contribute to social development, and support her family. Suranjana articulates a mature understanding of the detrimental effects of child marriage, citing poverty, lack of awareness, viewing daughters as burdens, social insecurity, and superstition as common reasons for early marriages. She highlights that early marriage leads to increased maternal and infant mortality due to early pregnancies and expresses her commitment to preventing it. To combat child marriage in rural and disadvantaged areas, Suranjana proposes regular community meetings with guardians, educating them on the physical and legal consequences of child marriage, and ensuring access to education. She also emphasizes the need for immediate legal action against any planned child marriages. Suranjana firmly believes that eradicating child marriage requires a collective social movement, not solely government efforts, and calls for active participation from the youth.