Boats bring girls back to school in Rangamati for a better future

Twelve-year-old Nishi Chakma lives in Barkal Upazila of Rangamati, one of the most remote corners of southeastern Bangladesh, surrounded by hills and the vast Kaptai Lake. A student of Barkal Girls High School, Nishi shared the daily struggles she faces just to attend school.

"I used to miss school during the rainy season due to the unavailability of safe transportation," she said. "The boats were either full or didn't come on time. Sometimes we waited for hours, feeling scared, and then returned home."

For girls like Nishi Chakma, living in the hard-to-reach areas, attending school is a daily risk. And education feels like distant and out of reach privilege. Here, parents also feel reluctant to send their children to school, fearing their safety. As a result, many stays home, and girls frequently dropped out of school.

But things are changing.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through its Women and Girls Empowerment through Inclusive Education (WGEIE) initiative, supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, has introduced a game-changing solution. Twenty fibreglass engine boats have been handed over to remote schools in the region.

These boats have become a symbol of transformation, bringing safety, hope, and renewed access to education for girls like Nishi.

"They are sustainable, safe, environment-friendly, and available; we need them," said Sunayan Tripura, a Class 8 student from Ugalchari Mohajan Para High School, Langadu Upazila. "Now, I reach school on time and not scared anymore."

These boats are designed to navigate through deep and shallow waters, even during the dry season or when thick water hyacinths block the creeks. With a lifespan of over a decade and minimal maintenance, they offer a long-term, sustainable solution to transportation issue of the students.

Mallika Tanchangya, Head Teacher of Hazar Manik High School, shared that her school is at the junction of three upazilas, and the only transportation to the school is by boat. Students and teachers had suffered beyond imagination during both dry and wet seasons.

"The boats have become a safe house for us," she said.

She observed an increased attendance rate in school after the installation of boats.

The teachers, students, parents and the communities living in these areas believe that this is more than a transportation initiative-it's a quiet revolution for the people of this region, breaking barriers of isolation and inequality. It's ensuring that every child, no matter how remote their home, has an equal shot at education.

It is about opening doors to opportunity, and creating a safer, more hopeful path to learning for every girl and children in Rangamati.