S DILIP ROY

As evening falls over Rangpur city, eight-year-old Al Amin steps out onto the streets with packets of popcorn in his hands.

During the day, Al Amin attends school like any average eight-year-old. However, once night falls, he has to sell popcorn to earn enough money so that his family can survive.

Al Amin lives with his maternal grandparents -- Nasir Uddin and Rabeya Khatun -- in a makeshift hut on the land of an abandoned railway in the Muslimpara area near Rangpur Railway Station.

His father, Shahidul Islam, died three years back. After that his mother remarried, which is when he started to live with his grandparents.

Initially, Al Amin’s grandparents looked after their expenses, but once grandfather fell ill a year back, the young boy willingly took on the burden of the household.

After struggling to make ends meet for over a year, Al Amin’s life changed last week.

On April 10, The Daily Star published a report about Al Amin’s hardships titled, “Schoolboy by day, family’s sole breadwinner by night”.

Lt Col (retd) Zahirul Islam, principal of Monno International School and College in Manikganj, read this report and was deeply moved by Al Amin’s story.

“I was deeply saddened after reading Al Amin’s story. Why should an eight-year-old have to bear the responsibility of an entire family? He should be going to school and enjoying his childhood. Receiving proper education is his right. It is the responsibility of society to stand beside such families so that children like Al Amin can continue their education without obstacles. That is why I stepped forward,” said Zahirul Islam.

The principal has offered to take personal responsibility for Al Amin’s education.

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