"Students from some schools get the opportunity to participate in Mathematics Olympiads and other competitions. We cannot attend. But we want to take part in those competitions too," said an eighth-grade girl at Kunderpara Gono Unnayan Academy, located in a char (river island) in Gaibandha.

I also met several former students. One of them completed her secondary education at this very institution. Later, while studying at the University of Dhaka, she supported herself by offering private tuition. Today, she serves as the head teacher of a primary school in Kunderpara char.

The journey from Gaibandha to the school took around 45 minutes by road to the Brahmaputra riverbank, followed by another 45 minutes by boat. Established in 2003, the school is the only secondary school serving children in this char. Without it, many students would not be able to continue their education beyond primary school, as travelling to Gaibandha for secondary education would not be possible.

At one point, the school had more than 600 students. Students from this school have gone on to study at public universities and other institutions, and many are now employed in government and private sector jobs. However, the school has endured tremendous hardship, including a tornado in 2015 and a fire in 2017, both of which necessitated rebuilding. River erosion in 2020 forced the school to relocate. At that time, many students left the char, and enrolment declined.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused prolonged school closures, during which some students enrolled in madrasas. The school's catchment area once had seven primary schools, which served as the main source of students for the secondary school. At present, only three remain, owing to the relocation of families to other areas following river erosion. There were also several non-formal schools in the area, but these no longer exist. As a result of this combination of factors, student enrolment has fallen significantly. At present, only 79 students are enrolled.

The success of any educational institution depends on the collective efforts of students, teachers, parents, and the wider community. I had the opportunity to meet and speak with all of them during my visit to Kunderpara Gono Unnayan Academy. The purpose of these discussions was to better understand what is needed to improve the quality of education and to explore practical ways of preventing girls from dropping out of school.

Some students, both girls and boys, dream of becoming entrepreneurs, while others aspire to build careers in freelancing. Among the professions they hope to pursue are policing, the military, law, business, medicine, and engineering. One student shared that he wants to study agriculture and establish his own farm. Listening to the students speak about their dreams and ambitions was deeply inspiring. Yet one question lingered in my mind: will all of them have the opportunity to realise those dreams?

Parents think that once girls pass the Secondary School Certificate examination, they will become more aware and independent, making it harder to arrange their marriage. That is why they marry them off while they are still in school.

These children grow up amid the constant threats of river erosion and poverty. Many adolescent girls are unable to continue their education because of child marriage. Likewise, many boys are compelled to engage in child labour.

Adolescent girls studying in Grades 9 and 10 expressed the following:

"Parents tell girls that once they are married, they become their in-laws' responsibility. Then the parents will be able to focus on supporting their younger sons' education."

"If boys perform poorly in exams, parents give them another chance. But even before exams, girls are threatened that if they fail, they will be married off."

"If a girl from the char completes higher secondary education in the city after passing the SSC, she will need to marry someone who has at least completed higher secondary education, if not more. It is difficult to find such boys in the char. As a result, parents marry their daughters off at a young age."

"Parents think that once girls pass the Secondary School Certificate examination, they will become more aware and independent, making it harder to arrange their marriage. That is why they marry them off while they are still in school."

"The younger a girl is when she gets married, the lower the dowry. That is why parents arrange child marriages."

"I might be able to convince my parents to stop my marriage, but people in the community will come and tell them that a good match has been found and that they should marry me off immediately."

"A rape incident took place in our area recently. Parents are worried about their daughters' safety, so they marry them off."

"If a girl is in a relationship with a boy, the family will lose its honour in the community. That is why parents marry their daughters off at an early age."

These comments provide valuable insights into the social norms surrounding girls, the preferential treatment of boys within families, concerns about girls' safety, and the community pressure that contributes to child marriage.

The girls are eager to continue their education and aspire to build successful lives. Can we truly comprehend the lifelong pain of a girl who dreams of competing in a Mathematics Olympiad or becoming a lawyer, only to be forced to abandon her education because of child marriage?

Child marriage is a grave violation of children's rights. It deprives girls of their education, undermines their health, makes them vulnerable to domestic violence, and brings their lives to a standstill. Bangladesh remains among the ten countries in the world with the highest rates of child marriage. This is a reflection of our collective failure. While there is a need for the proper implementation of laws against child marriage, changing social norms remains equally critical.

Ending child marriage and protecting every girl's right to education is our shared responsibility. The question is: are we doing enough to ensure that adolescent girls can realise their dreams?

Laila Khondkar is an international development worker.

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