Every afternoon, the bustling streets around Dhaka University are filled with students hurrying to classes, bookstores buzzing with activity, and colorful posters fluttering in the breeze. Amid this academic energy, however, a different scene quietly unfolds — children trying to survive while chasing their own fragile dreams.
Nine-year-old Yasin sells flower garlands to passersby, balancing survival with a hunger for learning. He came from Charfession with his mother after losing his father, and the pair now live in a small rented room.
During the day, Yasin walks the streets with his garlands. By evening, he returns home and studies. “I love studying. In the evening, I study, but all day I sell flowers. I have a small plastic bank. I save money there to buy a bicycle. One day I will ride it to school,” he says with a proud smile.
Yasin’s classmate, 13-year-old Rukaiya, faces a similar life. She too sells flower garlands alongside her mother. Despite the hardships, she has learned Bangla alphabets, English letters, poems, and numbers. She enjoys painting and playing with friends, yet poverty forces her to balance work and study.
“I sell garlands because of money problems. My mother also sells flowers. My father is no more. I want to study and get a job. I don’t want my mother to suffer anymore,” Rukaiya shares.
Across the campus, 14-year-old Rakib carries trays of colorful cotton candy, counting his earnings of Tk300–TK400 each evening. He once attended school, but after his father’s death, he had to take responsibility for his family. “Sometimes I go to TSC, where volunteers teach us. But studying is not always possible. I need to earn first,” he explains.
These children are just a few of the thousands living on the streets of Dhaka, their daily lives entwined with survival and education. According to a 2022 survey by UNICEF and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, about 71.8% of street children cannot read or write, and around 98.5% are excluded from formal or informal education. Over 3.4 million children in Bangladesh live in street situations, often without parental care or access to schooling.
While the government has made primary education compulsory, street children remain largely invisible to the system. Many live in unsafe conditions, survive on unhygienic food, and work to sustain themselves instead of attending school.
Amid these challenges, initiatives like The School of Ghashful offer a glimmer of hope. This community-driven program focuses on street children around Dhaka University, including those
working in cafeterias and small shops. It provides basic education, supports mental development, and teaches health awareness and personal hygiene.
Children study Bangla, English, and Mathematics, while also learning songs, poems, and social skills to navigate life on campus. Each child maintains a personal notebook to track lessons, and teachers follow up to ensure continuity. On average, 20 to 25 children participate, though class sizes fluctuate.
Newaz Sharif Arman, president of The School of Ghashful, acknowledges the challenges. “Reaching the children regularly remains a challenge. Volunteers often spend hours looking for them, and many cafeteria or shop owners refuse to give child workers leave. Classes sometimes take place with only two children, often at the TSC swimming pool area, where staff members can create difficulties.”
Despite these hurdles, the initiative continues to grow. Volunteers hope to expand hall-to-hall across Dhaka University, eventually including child workers outside the campus. “Our ultimate goal is to rehabilitate street children and put an end to child labor within the university campus. Even if only a few children show up for class, we never stop because each child matters,” Arman says.
In the shadows of Dhaka University’s academic grandeur, children like Yasin, Rukaiya, and Rakib walk a delicate line between work and study. Their hands carry flowers, cotton candy, and garlands — but in their hearts, they carry dreams that refuse to be silenced.
