Marriage of Tahomina: Education comes first

In late 2008, I was involved in verifying AKOTA's selection of Core Participant Households (CPHH) in Tarapur Union of Sundarganj Upazila of Gaibandha District. I visited one household in the village of Char Khorda, which was that of Momena (ID# -244), wife of Tofazzel Hossain.

While making routine enquiries about the composition of the family, I was told that their eldest child, a daughter, Tahomina, was in Class 9. This was surprising because in the chars, although it is against the law, teenage girls are usually married off at an early age. While I was talking to the parents, Tahomina returned from school. In the course of discussion, Tahomina's father told me that the year before Tahomina had dropped out of school because the family could not afford clothes and books for her. Soon after Tahomina had dropped out of school, her head teacher came to her parents and told them that Tahomina is a very bright student and that he will arrange some support for her but they must send her back to school. As a result of this visit by Tahomina's head teacher, she returned to school.

I asked Tahomina if she had any ambition. She answered that she wanted to go through SSC, HSC, and go to university. She said that she wanted to become a doctor and I asked her why. She replied, waving her arms expansively, "No government doctors ever come to the island chars." I was very taken with her enthusiasm and also the support that she was receiving from her parents and so I arranged that her education and other costs could be supported with 300 taka a month which she has used for books, coaching, clothes etc.

Yesterday, nearly four years later, I visited Tahomina and her family again. Tahomina, now 18 years old, is about to start the second year in HSC and has her focus on Science Honours. In the village of Char Khorda, there are 400 households, of which 124 have received support from the Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP) in both phases of the programme. Tahomina is the only young woman in the whole village going to college and studying for HSC. Not only do her parents support her but her younger brother, Mainuddin, now studying in Class 8, takes Tahomina to her college by bicycle, a 30 minutes ride, before going on to his school, a journey of a further 15 minutes. After their respective college and school end each day, they often meet up again and return home together.

Despite the support of CLP, life has not been that easy for Tahomina and her family. 9 months ago, their plinth was eroded and they now live on low land again. Tofazzel, Tahomina's father has leased 10 decimals of land as a homestead plot for a one time payment of 20,000 taka and he also share-crops 21 decimals of land. Momena, Tahomina's mother, had originally bought a heifer for 13,000 taka in 2008/9. After being eroded last year, at which time she received a CLP Erosion Grant of 2,000 taka, Momena sold the cow with a calf for 30,000 taka, used 20,000 taka to lease the homestead land and, three months ago, while adding an additional 5,000 taka to the balance of 10,000 taka, bought two bullocks for 15,000 taka which are currently being fattened. Momena and Tofazzel have a good vegetable garden and have re-installed the latrine provided by CLP.

Tahomina's parents say that their relations and the local community put a lot of pressure on them to arrange Tahomina's marriage but they insist that her marriage can only be considered after she finishes her education.

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Julian Francis who, since the War of Liberation, has had a long association with Bangladesh working in many poverty alleviation projects, is currently working as Partnerships Director at the DFID and AUSAid supported 'Chars Livelihoods Programme', RDA, Bogra.