As night descends upon Rangpur city, a young boy named Al Amin ventures out onto the streets carrying bags of popcorn. By day, he attends school just like any other eight-year-old child. However, once darkness falls, he sells popcorn to support his family’s livelihood.
Living with his maternal grandparents, Nasir Uddin and Rabeya Khatun, in a makeshift dwelling near Rangpur Railway Station, Al Amin took on the responsibility of providing for the family after his father passed away three years ago. Initially, his grandparents covered the expenses, but when his grandfather fell ill a year ago, Al Amin willingly assumed the role of the family’s breadwinner.
After facing financial struggles for more than a year, a turning point came for Al Amin last week when a report titled “Schoolboy by day, family’s sole breadwinner by night” was published by The Daily Star on April 10. Lt Col (retd) Zahirul Islam, the principal of Monno International School and College in Manikganj, was deeply moved by Al Amin’s story and decided to take action.
Expressing his sadness over Al Amin’s situation, Zahirul Islam emphasized the importance of supporting children like him to receive a proper education. He offered to personally oversee Al Amin’s education, providing him with free schooling up to the HSC level as a residential student. Additionally, plans are in place to support Al Amin through university if he excels academically.
Zahirul Islam also intends to assist Al Amin’s grandparents by helping them establish a small business for self-sustainability. Recognizing Al Amin’s potential and positive attitude, the principal aims to pave the way for him to help other children in the future.
The heartwarming story sparked a wave of support from the community, with several individuals coming forward to aid Al Amin’s family. As a result, Al Amin’s grandparents received approximately Tk 80,000 in assistance. Despite feeling a mix of happiness and sadness, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity Al Amin has received.
Al Amin, thrilled by the news, shared his aspirations of completing his education and making a difference for children in similar circumstances. His teacher, Asif Mahmud from Zoom Bangladesh School, praised Zahirul Islam’s actions and expressed confidence that Al Amin would one day pay it forward by supporting the education and future of underprivileged children.
