Determination shows the way

When the Teesta River devours a home and farmland, a family is faced with significant challenges. When despite such circumstances a small business is established, even something as humble as a roadside grocery store, it's testament to human resilience. When such a business is established by a physically challenged individual it's inspiring. But perhaps what's most remarkable about businesswoman Shahana Akter of Bagdora village in Lalmonirhat sadar upazila's Khuniyagachh union is that she's only 14 years old.

The daughter of van puller Sakmol Hossain and Morsheda Begum, Shahana was born two months premature. As a result, and compounded by a lack of nutritional food and wrong treatment by a village doctor, Shahana's legs are paralysed. Yet Shahana is a diligent class 7 student of nearby Kalmati Adarsha High School who holds hopes of pursuing tertiary level education in order to become well-established in society.

For the past 3 years, since she was 11 years old, the middle sister of three is also the proprietor of a grocery store. Shahana runs the shop from 7 am to 9 am before school, and from about 5 pm to 9 pm each day when her classes are done. "My mother helps," she says. "My mother looks after the shop while I'm in school. And fortunately the business is doing well. I started with Tk 1,500 in capital and now that has become about Tk 25,000 in cash."

"Our disabled daughter can't move without help," says Morsheda, "but her dreams are big! She might be physically challenged but Shahana is brilliant. She knows how to grow the business."

"My father suffers every day, carrying me to school," says Shahana. My mother suffers from helping with the business. But I want to establish myself and reach my target of higher education."

According to her father Sakmol, the family once had 8 bighas of cropland, a 2-bigha orchard and a 12-decimal household yard but all were taken by the Teesta. For the past five years, he says, the family has been living on unused government land alongside a road. 

"Nowadays Shahana gives 50% of the profits from her grocery store as contribution to family expenses," he says with fatherly pride, "while the rest she re-invests in building her business."

"The stock is worth about Tk 15,000," says Shahana, "and from that I can sell around Tk 1,000 of merchandise daily, which realises a profit of about Tk 200." Meanwhile, from van pulling Sakmol can earn up to Tk 200 per day.

Her father says that on several occasions he has contacted the local union chairman concerning the possibility of his daughter receiving a disability allowance, but for reasons unknown such assistance has not been forthcoming.

Newly-elected council member Mozammel Haque, however, says he believes Shahana should qualify for a disability allowance and he intends to help her access such an entitlement in the near future.

In the meantime Shahana continues to excel in both her studies and her business. "Our friend Shahana is best at mathematics," says classmate Samina Akter. Results place Shahana among the top ten students in her class.

"We do our best to provide the facilities she needs," says her high school headmaster Nayeb Ali. "All the teachers take special care of our meritorious student Shahana."

"The girl is always smiling," says local Rezaul Islam, 45, a customer of Shahana's grocery store. "She deals so nicely with her customers and it's made her shop popular."

And if ever business is quiet for a few minutes, Shahana, who by habit studies after work until about 12 a.m., won't waste the moment. She'd rather open one of her schoolbooks, to read until the next customer arrives.